The media must be extra vigilant in upholding its responsibilities as the people’s watchdog.
Those are the words of former Prime Minister and Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry as we observe World Media Freedom Day today.
Chaudhry says this may be an opportune time to remember that while an unfettered media is vital for the proper functioning of a democratic society, this freedom comes with onerous responsibilities.
He says in a democratic society, it plays the crucial role of a watchdog by keeping governments accountable, and fearlessly upholding the public’s right to know.
Chaudhry says this is the yardstick by which to judge the effectiveness of any media organisation.
He says let us not just pay lip service to this important freedom, and our media organisations need to look critically at their performance and make an honest assessment of how effectively and honestly they are meeting their role as the people’s watchdog. The Labour Leader says for 14 years the Fiji media industry suffered under draconian laws decreed or enacted by the Bainimarama administration.
Chaudhry says the media operated under constant fear and threat of imprisonment or hefty fines.
He says this often meant compromising on free, fair and independent reporting, and standards of journalism declined as a result.
The former Prime Minister says having been through such a traumatic experience over 14 years, we ought to cherish and exercise our new-found freedom in the best interests of journalistic ethics.
He says it may take years to rebuild journalistic skills lost as a result of these repressive years.
Chaudhry says this is all too evident in the type of coverage we are still getting from our news media – almost 70 percent of all content tend to be either government releases, coverage of workshops and conferences or events staged by diplomatic missions.
He says there is a notable lack of investigative and in-depth journalism.
Chaudhry also questions how zealously are we guarding the media code of ethics which requires honest, balanced and impartial news coverage at all times.
He also asks are commercial interests being allowed to dictate a partisan approach to news coverage.
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