Death of News

Death of News: Is Media Freedom being strangled in the Commonwealth
29 June 2009

This meeting held at Portcullis House in Westminster was hosted by the Commonwealth Journalists Association. While the media brings news to the public, journalists are being arrested, victimised and sometimes killed in countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Zimbabwe. While the Commonwealth declares a freedom of expression, the media in many countries lack resources, falling under tremendous pressure from government and commercial interest, even threats from criminals and terrorist. This event, chaired by Rita Payne (former BBC executive), highlighted common threats, censorship and the need for international regulation from the United Nations.

Martin Bell, well known as the BBC correspondent of the Bosnian War, clearly stated that the world has become more dangerous since 1945. Nuclear proliferation is threatening world stability, climate change has created a refugee sweep, and there are unnecessary war fought all over the continent. In conflict areas, journalists are often targeted as highlighted by the news of the dead journalist in Sri Lanka. Brad Adams, Human Rights Watch, commented that countries in Asia are moving towards media freedom and away at the same time. While elections in Bangladesh had brought about new freedom, journalists there and in Pakistan have less freedom to cover news, instead enjoy freedom through English-sources and services published in their language. English news is very different from news in Bengali or Urdu.

Those from the Commonwealth look up to news covered by the BBC as a trusted and open source of information. William Horsley, director of the Centre for the Freedom of the Media, argued that the West have a great deal to answer for as a media model. However, loss of privacy and censorship is high but hidden within the media system, exemplifying that UK telephone companies retain conversations for a minimum of 6 weeks, which the media can get a hold of. Peter Horrocks (Director of BBC World Service) assured that the BBC is independent of British government scrutiny, stating that the BBC brings “Free Journalism” to the rest of the world, however it is difficult to replicate this standard across borders with adjusting stakeholder interests.

Wilf Mbanga, editor of Zimbabwean, addressed the crisis in governance in Southern Africa. South Africa has the most unregulated media, stating it as “enemies of the establishment”. With this in mind, media expression is repressed harshly ejecting intimidation and torture to journalists who try to cover news. Key phrases such as, “in the interest of public health”… “for our national security” are used by governments to ensure censorship. Wilf suggested that a ‘well-nourished’ media watchdog is needed to regulate governance.

Soli Sorabjee, former attorney-general of India, made an extremely good point about “freedom AFTER speech”. Intolerance is the root to censorship, using this as an excuse for regimes to torture journalists after a story has been covered. In countries like India, the government is the biggest advertisers in the media, therefore can only propagate the good work of the governance disabling media from different points of view. Even e-news come under threat of detention such as the Malaysian website Malaysiakini, however with its wide readership it would be a big political decision to shut it down. Farah Faizal, Maldives High Commissioner in the UK, gave cause for optimism describing the end of President Gayoom’s 30 year dictatorship. Moving into democracy has brought about small changes to media freedom with two graduates from Britain revolutionising the spread of news through a fortnightly publication called Sangu. She stated that international news on the Maldives is helping the country move into a democratic state, which brings hope to other Commonwealth states.