(MFWA/IFEX) - On 17 May 2006, the Liberian Broadcasting System (LBS), the state-owned broadcaster, ordered its journalists to seek clearance prior to broadcasting "corruption allegations" against government officials and other top personalities.
A memorandum signed by Benjamin N.Tangay, Assistant Director General for News and Public Affairs (ADG), warned that editorial staff had to channel all such stories through his office for clearance.
The statement further cautioned that, "Any reporter or newscaster's failure to adhere to this reminder will leave the office of the ADG with no alternative but to institute stern administrative measure(s) against violator(s)."
The memorandum, copied to the station's Director General and the Deputy Director General for Broadcasting, noted that "LBS news bulletins are not [a] courtroom for prosecuting government officials and other personalities in society."
"Hence, all controversial stories of corruption allegations levelled against such persons will, hereafter, not be allowed to form part of our news, unless such stories pass through the clearance house and must also meet my expressed approval," the statement noted.
The MFWA is concerned that the memorandum may lead to censorship, considering the vagueness of the words ". . . all controversial stories of corruption . . ." in it, which could easily be abused by the authorities. As well, the MFWA notes that the memo has been issued at a time when major legislative reforms are underway to transform the state-owned broadcaster into a public service entity that is independent of government control. This implies that the most important criterion for determining whether or not a story should go on air or not is the public interest and not the image of any official or personality.
In April, a consultative forum proposed legislative reforms to the state media, to transform it into an independent, non-partisan national public broadcaster.
