PNG Media council calls for Waide’s reinstatement

The Media Council of PNG has called on the board and management of Media Niugini Limited to allow senior EMTV journalist, Scott Waide, back to active duty.

This follows news of Waide’s suspension for airing a story considered by the MNL Board, the Kumul Telikom Holdings Board, and the Kumul Consolidated Holdings Board, to be ‘negative’.

“The MCPNG sees this as a clear case of ignorance on the part of the chairmen and members of these boards, about the business of reporting the news,” said the Council in a statement.

“The media in PNG is in the business of reporting the truth. Regardless of whatever form it may take.

“It is clear that the owners of EMTV do not appreciate the strength and commitment of its news team to tell the truth.

“EMTV News has been at the forefront of setting new ways of covering and reporting the news, that is now international standard. Waide and the EMTV News team has been leading this change. It is a step backward for democracy, and development in the media.

“The MCPNG maintains that the job of portraying a positive image of the country rests solely with the government of the day. The media is not responsible for this aspect of a country's well-being. Its sole responsibility is to the people, and not to government, regardless of whether it owns some, or all, of any media company's shareholding.

“The media must not bend to the whims of insecure politicians and spineless 'yes-men' who flaunt their authority with impunity, and against all moral and ethical judgement.

“We in the media are in the business of reporting the truth. Journalists should not be looking over their shoulders every time they work on a sensitive story, just because it may not paint the government of the day in a good light.”

(Picture: Scott Waide – Blog Facebook page)

Press release