Local media organisations are expressing disgust over recent public attacks against journalists who are being subjected to internet smear campaigns and public criticism by government officials on political platforms.The issue would be discussed later today when the executive of the Media Association of T&T meets as well as at an executive meeting of the T&T Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA).
Yesterday Wesley Gibbings, general secretary of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), speaking to the T&T Guardian in a telephone interview, said while the attacks were not surprising, it was "disconcerting" to see the level it has sunk to."I am sitting and waiting for widespread condemnation of this concerted attempt and attack on press freedom," Gibbings said.
Gibbings was commenting on the recent posting of a video on the internet featuring an Express journalist and a statement issued by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan labelling her colleagues Irene Medina, Anika Gumbs-Sandiford, Denyse Renne and Dr Sheila Rampersad as a "team of undercover PNM media agents."He said such attacks were "absolutely disgusting" and he hoped leaders in all public areas, including the leadership of all the political parties, were equally disgusted.
He said what has been employed was a well-known strategy which involved discrediting journalists and their media institutions "in order to diminish the impact of their work on public opinion.""If you reduce the credibility and the value of the work of journalists, the intention is to reduce the credibility of the material they publish," he said.He said that the attacks were focused on female journalists and the manner of the attacks made them "even more disgusting and unacceptable."
"There is clear misogyny here," he said.Gibbings said he is hoping women's groups and all the women's arms of the political parties and other activists in the area of gender would make their voices heard on the issue.He said given the recent attacks, including those on the political platforms, journalists should rally together to protect press freedom.
MATT president Curtis Williams, commenting on Ramlogan's statement, said: "I do not know what evidence the AG has to know who is a PNM journalist or a UNC journalist and who is an ILP journalist."Williams said he had noted with some degree of concern the consistent allegations being made by politicians against journalists who write stories that may not appear to be supportive of those politicians or the government.
"At the end of the day journalists have a responsibility to fairly, fearlessly and accurately report on the news. If at times they err, then there are ways in which individuals who feel they are wronged can have a recourse, whether that is through the Media Complaints Council, the courts or in seeking redress and apologies from media houses," Williams said.He called on citizens not to support such attacks on journalists.
Williams said the best defence against not only political pressure but corporate pressure was professionalism and accuracy.He said at 1 pm today MATT executive would be meeting to discuss the situation.TTPBA president Daren Lee Sing, in a brief telephone interview, said the association's executive would be meeting to discuss the recent attacks.He said the association stands by its member, the Trinidad Express."My hope is that we leave a journalist's private life just that, private."
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One Caribbean Media Ltd (OCM) CEO Dawn Thomas says journalists at the Trinidad Express will not be deterred by attacks. OCM is the holding company for the Trinidad Express and TV6.Yesterday in a published statement, the paper said its "commitment to fearless and independent reporting will in no way be deterred or diminished by the current unwarranted and unmeritorious assault on our journalists."
Thomas, who recently returned from Barbados, said she had been apprised of the situation. She said journalists at the Trinidad Express are not dejected in any way by the attacks.She added: "I think in the past we have had similar attacks. Our journalists have been attacked, the brand itself has been attacked. I think it is part of the cost but we will continue to be vigilant in terms of continuing what we do best which is serve the public's interest.".Thomas added that morale at the Express was good.
"I think everyone is still committed to fearless and accurate reporting," she said.