Media refuse to accept biased distribution of radio licences
MARCH 18, 2013 | BY KNEWS |
…Press Association calls for overseas intervention
Revelations that former President Bharrat Jagdeo farmed out radio and television licences to his friends and others close to the government just before the last elections have sparked widespread concerns and a statement of defiance from privately-owned media houses.
Yesterday, the Guyana Media Proprietors Association (GMPA) and Guyana Press Association (GPA) issued statements calling for an immediate reversal of the allocations.
Several private media houses and personalities who had applied for licences and are seen as critics of the government were bypassed by Jagdeo. The former President approved the licences as Minister of Information shortly before his constitutional term in office ended in November, 2011. [read more]
A case of presidential deception
When a president takes the oath of office he pledges to serve all the people of Guyana regardless of race, creed, colour or political affiliation. He then proceeds to administer the business of state, in the process making decisions that would impact the nation.
However, recent events seem to show that Guyana’s last president, Bharrat Jagdeo, failed to honour that pledge. Certain events seem to reveal a self-serving and selfish, almost dictatorial attitude. One is forced to reach this conclusion when one examines his release of radio frequencies to fulfill a promise he had made shortly before he demitted office.
Before the release of the radio frequencies there had been a rash of people scrambling to acquire frequencies for television broadcasts. The first of these was Anthony Vieira, the man credited with introducing television to Guyana. Others followed and they proceeded to allocate to themselves those frequencies that were available. [read more]
Comments
Whoever controls the media “dictates” !
A free and fair press is a healthy situation in democracies.
Gag or suppress this “freedom” of expression and you have
another Russia China or Syria….
Today China is concerned about the speed at which social media
is moving….mobile phones et all..people power the political elite
worry.
Does the political class in little Guyana wish to follow China
by gagging or suppressing its media.
More importantly will the masses accept this.
I doubt it very much ! Freedom once won is never sacrificed…
Lives are lost in the “battle” as per Syria and instability its legacy
citing Iraq et all…
A free press self regulated is a battle worth fighting.
It must be free from political control.
My spin entirely
Kamptan
You may express these opinions but please don’t delude yourself into believing we have an entirely Free Press/Media in North America. Oh sure, our Governments don’t appear to be “gagging or suppressing” our Media, but that’s because they don’t need to do so. They merely allow Corporations that will serve their need to control what you read, hear and see to purchase Media outlets installing CEOs & Managing Editors to carry out their mandate to suppress or censor “News” the governing Powers consider unflattering and bombard us with whatever serves their interests (mostly to keep us all distracted and/or overwhelmed and confused. The only semblance of Free Press existing in our Western Nations are to be found (with increasing difficulty I might add) online – in the World Wide Web!
dave
I agree with you 99.99% and take aboard your “corporate” suggestion.
However the “media” makes more profit by increasing its readership….
and by exposing “cracks” in the information/sources/govt etc…
USA is probably one of the least informed electorate ….right hand doesnt know what left hand is doing…too big to “control” ! and so is the “corporate USA”
On a more internationalist outlook “corporations” have the power not the elected representatives…..they can influence the electorate. However as you suggested
the world wide web is the future and the corporations have little or no control
over that….
I will compromise my thinking and accept “regulation” by introducing laws
like “libel” as a way or regulation … to regulate what is considered “illegal” in
print. The breach can then be disputed in the courts by clever lawyers…
with laws even updated to accommodate !
overall i do understand the role CEO EDITORS play in all this.
get it wrong and their “readership” “circulation” deminishes.
its a tricky one but I still feel a powerful press dooes help to “expose”
the weaknesses in governing.
my spin entirely
thanks for your comment above
my e mail
doncomdecastro@gmail.com
if you wish to discuss further.
kamptan
Governments and especially those who resent Freedom of the Press and electronic Media are happy to control such Information Flow. Guyana has had enough of this madness. The government went as far as dictating who got the imported newsprints to publish the news in favour of the Government.
Why all those who were refused liscences take the opportunity to re apply to the New government of President Ramotar and see what outcomes they get. We are aware of the virtues of a Free press in the 21st Century.
I have a lot of issues with the government but the opposition have so far fail to impress me that they have the wherewitall to either govern or change policies for the better. Issues like licenses get somewhat mangled when the frequencies were mistaken for licences and the Viera company sold its business with a licence.What is debatable is how, who, when and how the old and future ones are issued. Only, then one can logically see if any illegality occured. The Marriott worker issues were another instant where political posturing obscures real issues and solutions. The government have been too slow to act in too many areas where speed and transparency were needed. The current political mindset damages the country and progress. Biased, selective and sensational reporting adds to Guyana’s woes..