Public outcry as Newspaper stun Papua New Guineans using old Nigerian blog pictures

There is a public outcry  in Papua New Guinea after the local newspaper, Post Courier published a story about Asian prostitutes working and living in the country. The story appeared in the newspaper's front page on Friday (20/02/2015) with images believed to be taken from a news story  published in Nigerian website in 2012. This has not gone down well with the public and many  have taken to social media to condemn the action of  the newspaper for sensationalizing  and falsifying information  to make quick money. Many people are calling on the newspaper to sack the reporter and the editor. 

One of the  well known social Media commentator and PNG News Facebook Group  administrator, David Emphraim posted, "Whatever the reasons are Papua New Guineans are distracted by front cover page ...; well guess what Post Courier for some reason has decided to use an old blog story in Nigeria to stir up Papua New Guineans over the so-called 'ASIAN SEX WORKERS HERE' there maybe some facts in their article but using visual images to incite social uproar is uncalled for.

So don't be alarmed too much about the report. The original images used by Post Courier was about 13 teenage girls of Asian origin arrested in Nigeria in 2012 over prostitution".

 One of the Post Couriers former journalist Jason JayPrince Wuri  said " it is a real slap in the face to all levels of journalism when plagiarism is practiced! It breaks all forms of journalism ethics and as a journo it's a real shame! Especially if it's a sensitive issue like prostitution and flaws in our immigration system which are real and ongoing issues affecting our great nation. The disappointment here is for a credible mainstream daily in Post Courier  to lie and use a picture downloaded from a blog and say it was in a Port Moresby night club. That for me is lazy journalism without proper investigation on the story to get actual pictures to use with the story. Obviously the story was probably too good a chance and opportunity to be missed without doing a copy cut paste of a blog picture in the name of a sellout and profit motives, in the end lying to the people of PNG and the world. This is the sad state of journalism in PNG as we continue to speak and commentate on this issue!! Just an insight from a journos perspective!....An apology would be nice given some of us are Post Courier readers and love the daily and I think they owe it to us the readers. Please don't lie to us your readers. Apologies to my former boss Mr A Rheeney and the team if I have stated the importance of journalism ethics. We are faithful readers please give us the truth and the best content on issues affecting the nation! 

Other commentators have called on the newspaper to apologize to the country for the journalism blunder. John Nirenga said ... "Post Courier must publicly apologize on their front page on Friday for their journalistic blunder and unsubstantiated front page coverage regardless of the issue of prostitution. Post Courier as a major PNG media outlet has a moral and social responsibility to be responsible in their news publications to the nation.