A United States diplomat, Mr Roberto Quiroz, has said that censorship of the media should never be an option in any democratic dispensation.
He added that as journalists go along their professional journey, the United States stands against attacks on them across the world.
Quiroz, who is the Counsellor for Public Affairs, United States Embassy in Accra, Ghana, spoke on Thursday in Ghana at the opening of the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards 2019, with the theme, ‘Social Media, Fake News & Elections in Africa’.
The programme was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa.
Quiroz noted that promoting press freedom is an awesome responsibility for governments, journalists and citizens.
He added, “The United States values freedom of the press as a key component of democratic governance.
“An independent media committed to responsible, fact-based journalism is essential to promote democratic governance, transparency and a well-informed, active citizenry engaged in holding government and all sectors accountable.”
He, however, said it had become important to separate fact from fiction when producing reports.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda and Board Chair, Media Foundation for West Africa, Mr Edetaen Ojo, said there could not have been a more appropriate, relevant and topical theme than the chosen topic, given the issues confronting the continent at the moment, particularly the decline in media freedom and professionalism in many countries in the region and across the world.
He said, “Elections, of course, have been with us for decades. But we have yet to fully appreciate the essence of elections and have, for the most part, deliberately refused to master the art and the science of organising free and fair elections.
“Social media is a relatively new phenomenon, but it is obviously one thing that is giving political leaders sleepless nights across the region and beyond.
“As the number of Internet users in many countries in the region has grown over the years, a new class of citizens has also emerged in such countries.”
He said it was paradoxical that the political class, who routinely deal and trade in fake news, which they deploy as part of their campaign strategies, have also become so “frenetic” about the issue that it has become the excuse to repress media freedom.
He added, “It is, of course, unfortunate that some media professionals have allowed themselves to be be used to spread false news and there can be no doubt that any journalist guilty of such conduct is unworthy of being called a journalist.
“As a sector or a community, we must deprecate such conduct and make clear that it had no place in the body of principles and values that guide our profession.
“But I would argue that politicians bear the greater responsibility for this phenomenon.”
A United States diplomat, Mr Roberto Quiroz, has said that censorship of the media should never be an option in any democratic dispensation.
He added that as journalists go along their professional journey, the United States stands against attacks on them across the world.
Quiroz, who is the Counsellor for Public Affairs, United States Embassy in Accra, Ghana, spoke on Thursday in Ghana at the opening of the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards 2019, with the theme, ‘Social Media, Fake News & Elections in Africa’.
The programme was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa.
Quiroz noted that promoting press freedom is an awesome responsibility for governments, journalists and citizens.
He added, “The United States values freedom of the press as a key component of democratic governance.
“An independent media committed to responsible, fact-based journalism is essential to promote democratic governance, transparency and a well-informed, active citizenry engaged in holding government and all sectors accountable.”
He, however, said it had become important to separate fact from fiction when producing reports.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda and Board Chair, Media Foundation for West Africa, Mr Edetaen Ojo, said there could not have been a more appropriate, relevant and topical theme than the chosen topic, given the issues confronting the continent at the moment, particularly the decline in media freedom and professionalism in many countries in the region and across the world.
He said, “Elections, of course, have been with us for decades. But we have yet to fully appreciate the essence of elections and have, for the most part, deliberately refused to master the art and the science of organising free and fair elections.
“Social media is a relatively new phenomenon, but it is obviously one thing that is giving political leaders sleepless nights across the region and beyond.
“As the number of Internet users in many countries in the region has grown over the years, a new class of citizens has also emerged in such countries.”
He said it was paradoxical that the political class, who routinely deal and trade in fake news, which they deploy as part of their campaign strategies, have also become so “frenetic” about the issue that it has become the excuse to repress media freedom.
He added, “It is, of course, unfortunate that some media professionals have allowed themselves to be be used to spread false news and there can be no doubt that any journalist guilty of such conduct is unworthy of being called a journalist.
“As a sector or a community, we must deprecate such conduct and make clear that it had no place in the body of principles and values that guide our profession.
“But I would argue that politicians bear the greater responsibility for this phenomenon.”
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Media censorship shouldn’t be an option in democracy – US diplomat
Reviewed by YOUNG-PRINCE
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October 17, 2019
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Reviewed by YOUNG-PRINCE
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October 17, 2019
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