This is the 16th year that the United Nations has commemorated World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd. In a statement marking the day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that a free press played an important roll in solving the world's problems and gave a voice to minorities and also called on all governments to ensure that the rights of journalists are respected.
In his message for World Press Freedom Day 2009, the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, stressed: “We must strengthen our efforts to build a media that is critical of inherited assumptions yet tolerant of alternative perspectives; a media that brings competing narratives into a shared story of interdependence; a media that responds to diversity through dialogue.” (extracted from UNESCO.ORG.)
All this sounds so idealistic, dreamy, perfect and Utopian in its approach but what is the real reason why the UN commemorated World Press Freedom Day?
To me, this whole notion reminds us of one simple fact - the vital importance of this core freedom in any democratic country. Ideally, this should be the day in which citizens of every democratic country celebrate the vital and indispensable role played by journalists in reporting news, providing a platform for discussion and exposing abuses of power while fulfilling the other functions of a newspaper.
Tall order, some may say. True - which is the reason for the title of this post - PRESS FREEDOM - FACT, FICTION OR IRONY?
Some of us may overlook the fact that as far back as 1948, many nations enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights the fundamental principle that everyone “has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
I find it both tragic and ironic that such rights are most subjective in many democratic countries. While there are leaders who are autocratic in limiting such freedom, others waltz around gleefully in spinning yarn about how freedom of expression exists provided one behaves himself or worse still, fanning the fires of denial and pulling wool over the eyes of the masses in waving their magic wand to redefine the meaning of freedom, or using the carrot and stick policy via licenses to ensure that those concerned conform to official expectations regarding what is or is not to be reported.
Can you imagine that this important news has not been featured in The Star or The New Straits Times? Can you imagine that we have newspapers that do not place any importance about an event that celebrates PRESS FREEDOM? No wonder....
Beyond the cosmetic and token speeches of celebration for this supposedly important day in other countries, we need to ask ourselves if we have a government that believes in the effective and accurate dissemination of information and remains deeply committed to the freedom of the press.
We need to consider whether our government understands and appreciates the responsibilities of the media and the fact that these responsibilities can only be fulfilled through the freedom of the press, which in turn, is guaranteed by our democratic government committed to upholding the Constitution. But to do that, there has to be a sustained democratic government that can guarantee civil rights and liberties. Is it possible?
True blue journalists investigate sensitive issues, unveil disturbing truths and question policies and in doing so, find themselves in the firing line of those directly or indirectly exposed by their reports. What does that mean? I do not have to bring up a certain incident where one young lady who reported a statement made by someone was detained under a certain law to 'protect her'. And how has this affected the way journalists/reporters report news?
Nonetheless, even though some journalists face harassment, threats of violence and physical retaliation, these unsung heroes across the world continue to dig out troubling facts, challenge the status quo and expose those who commit crimes.
Day after day, there exist genuine, committed and dedicated journalists who would go the extra mile to investigate and file reports on issues they know they could be sued or killed for such as Moussa Kaka, Mohamad Ali Al-Abdallah (Syrian blogger), Barry Bearak (USA) and Claudia Duque of Columbia. Many pay the price, some with their lives.
Does press freedom exist in Malaysia? Dr. Azly Rahman wrote an excellent article on Death of Malaysian media at THIS LINK and I would greatly urge you to read it if you have not.
Ideally, in any country that supposedly practises democracy, there should be freedom of expression and freedom of the press. I believe there should be democracy in the mass media whereby the press practise mature journalistic principles to produce reports that inform and empower the members of society thereby enhancing democratic values in the country and enabling the citizens to be informed and in the know of current events!!
The public are the customers of the mainstream media so the latter should be accountable to the public in creating the democratic expression of truth of the events as seen in the society. Is this the case in Malaysia?
Any news blackout in any democratic country indirectly shows the increased domination of that government over the mass media and the shrinking freedom of expression in that country. Some authorities may speak so much about reforming the mass media, establishing certain organizations and strengthening public service broadcasting. However if and when they do just the opposite, then the ones to suffer are the masses.
Theoretically, when the media dances to the tune of the authorities, media content would be SHARPLY INFLUENCED because the range of news and opinions would be limited, distorted and bias reporting would be more likely to occur. The MSM staff could be in a state of cognitive dissonance - torn between factual reporting and conforming to demands of the authorities. In time to come, would they be robbed not only of their ‘voice’ but also their ‘conscience’ when they cower to the demands and observe boundaries set by the authorities? Then they can all sail happily with the ruling government - in the boat populated by passengers with NO CONSCIENCE!
How can there be equal distribution of information? How can citizens grow up to be rational thinking people when we are ROBBED in broad daylight of the freedom to think and/or the freedom of expression? In the long-run, citizens of such a country would be ZOMBIES who cannot discern what is right and wrong, zombies who would have NO IDEA whatsoever of their rights and what they should do!!! They would, instead, be living in the DARK AGES as political discourses would be as extinct as dinosaurs and dodo birds!!!
So what is happening?
Simple.
If democratic principles are being compromised, chances are that freedom of the press is being MURDERED!!
An iron hand over the MSM would likely lead to the tragic narrowing of the range of voices and opinions that are being expressed in the mass media to the extent that they are reduced to the status of puppets whose strings are being pulled by the authorities.
If and when such a scenario happens, the news and information being disseminated would be ridiculous to say the least because INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING is NOT ALLOWED OR EVEN ENCOURAGED!! The media would then fail to play it role (not that it did even in the past) as a public watchdog in our country! They have become the mouthpiece and ‘hailer’ or ‘loudspeaker’ of the authorities who determine what is to be reported and what should not be reported!
Any citizen of a democratic country must realize that the health of a country’s democratic political system depends on EFFICIENT, ACCURATE and COMPLETE transmission of news encompassing the different aspects of society including social, political, cultural news. The MSM, bloggers and alternative media must realize that they are the conduits of this information and that they MUST always act in the public interest!!!
A look at the disturbing trends around the world can tell anyone that the MSM have INCREASINGLY been UNABLE and UNINTERESTED in fulfilling this role because of the iron hand, muzzle and laws that have given them the pressure to conform to the wishes of the authorities concerned!!
If democratic principles are undermined, citizens would be unable to participate intelligently let alone knowledgeably in public policy debates which are usually carried out in a hush-hush manner with little publicity.
So with the loss of press freedom, the loss of freedom of expression, there could arise in any democratic country, an uninformed citizenry who have to accept policy issues AS DEFINED by the political elite!!
Then there would exist an alarming lack of representation of truth, views and voices!!! To me, such a situation in many parts of the world today is the impetus factor which has led to the burgeoning growth of online news portals and blogs. Bloggers are actually filling in the gap or the vacuum left by the MSN because of the muzzle over their mouth. With freedom, there comes the whole element of responsibility and all bloggers and alternative media personnel must write and report responsibly because a failure to do so on the part of any one person or group can rob us of the little freedom that we enjoy for now.
So what are we to do now? Celebrate World Press Freedom and be glad for the MSM? Or shake our heads in dismay and wonder....
To end on a positive note, I applaud the effort of genuine journalists and truly independent news organizations in the world who live up to the principles of journalism. If not for you, this celebration would be a mere shell of a day. You are the brave ones who live to fight for truth, justice and integrity and I wish to record here my support and admiration for you all in the media industry who relentlessly risk your lives and work with such dedication to expose truth and enhance accountability around the world...God bless you!
Because of you guys - there is meaning to WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY!
.
0 comments to PRESS FREEDOM - FACT, FICTION OR IRONY?
Post a Comment