Responsibility and Sensitivity Vital in Exercising Press Freedom
16 February 2006
 |
| "The media, familiarly known as the 'fourth estate', is a powerful institution. But with any power also comes responsibility." - Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon |
The media should be responsible and sensitive in its reporting of the news while it exercises its rights as a free press, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said in an address at the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) General Conference in New Delhi, India, on 15 February 2006. He added that events in the last few weeks have heightened our consciousness about the need to be sensitive.
"The media, familiarly known as the 'fourth estate', is a powerful institution," stated the Secretary-General. "But with any power also comes responsibility. Partisan agendas, cultural insensitivity and deliberate distortions in media reporting can do untold damage to the fabric of a nation and indeed have unfortunate international repercussions. The press, broadcasters included, will always have to exercise their enormous power over listeners' ears, eyes and minds with common sense and sensitivity."
Mr McKinnon stressed that protecting freedom of speech and expression is important in creating a just and democratic society. He noted that broadcasters, as well as other media, have a crucial role to play in promoting democracy.
"They feed the people with information to enable them to make choices and develop ideas. They hold governments and oppositions to account. They expose corruption and act as the custodians of integrity in public office. By upholding values and denouncing corruption, both in the public and private sectors, broadcasters can contribute to the development of good governance practices."
The Secretary-General stated that true democracies encourage an atmosphere of choice and diversity. Without access to information, the dissemination of information is restricted, he said.
"Without a diversity of opinions and angles, our view of the world is blinkered. In some of our member countries, press freedom is still fettered. Information is restricted, journalists are harassed, intimidated and in some cases, imprisoned. It highlights the difficulties of putting these high ideals into practice. In these countries, there is clearly a deficiency of 'information democracy' because the choice is limited."
Mr McKinnon pointed out that the Commonwealth has sought to play its part to assist the fourth estate through the Commonwealth Media Development Fund (CMDF), of which the CBA is a beneficiary. More than 700 journalists have been supported by the CMDF over the past five years.
Speaking on the CBA conference theme, 'Making a Difference in a Multi-Platform World', the Secretary-General said today's technology offers us the internet as a communications tool, and 3G mobile phones which put access to information and communications at one's fingertips: news is disseminated instantaneously.
He stated Commonwealth leaders recognised the need to bridge the gap between communities that have access to computers and the internet, and those who do not. At their summit meeting in Malta in November 2005, they endorsed the Commonwealth Action Plan for the Digital Divide which will work to reduce this gap. Mr McKinnon commended the Government of India for pledging one million Euros to the Special Commonwealth Fund for the Digital Divide that was set up for the Action Plan.
CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 272, 15 February 2006
delicious
digg
reddit
facebook
stumbleupon
News feeds