‘News not good’ for World Press Freedom Day

The Media Association Jamaica Ltd (MAJ) believes the world has found itself in precarious positions globally, with continued geopolitical tensions centred around the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Palestine conflicts, Haiti, as well as violent conflicts in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

In its message for World Press Freedom Day, celebrated today, the MAJ said, “This instability, with no promise of ending soon, some say puts us on the brink of World War III. We have seen, too, that the interest in the latter conflict has sparked protests, some violent, in other countries less known for violent protests.

“With a duty to cover these happenings, journalists find themselves on the front line and subjected to violence, often resulting in death. Today, we mourn the near 100 journalists reported killed in 2023 and, so far in 2024, hundreds remain imprisoned globally. The killing of journalists represents the biggest threat to press freedom, and must be strongly condemned.”

According to the MAJ, the above threat to press freedom also manifests in prolonged economic uncertainty, “even as we attempt to adjust to the new depressed environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago”.

Said the MAJ, “Media houses continue to struggle to earn sufficiently to sustain independence and provide decent wages for their journalists. They are grappling with flight by advertisers – the fuel of the traditional media – to digital platforms, many of which do not uphold strong journalistic principles. The news is not good.”

Closer to home, the MAJ noted, Latin America is continuing to struggle with the murders of journalists in countries fighting back returns to dictatorship and/or resisting becoming narco-states.

“There is also the unrest in our neighbouring Haiti, which has descended into anarchy, with journalists there risking their lives to covering those developments, with seven having paid the ultimate price since 2022,” the MAJ said.

At home in Jamaica, the MAJ noted with gratitude that there have been no deaths of journalists to report, but that the trickle-down effects of the previously mentioned global dynamics continue to constrain local media’s ability to operate at desired levels of effectiveness.

“This is tantamount to financially induced censorship,” the MAJ argued. “We still contend with outdated defamation legislation, where burden of proof still rests with media houses, potentially exposing valuable sources/whistleblowers who allow us to bring transparency to issues of public interest. In a politically charged environment, we continue to see efforts to obscure or suppress information of public interest inimical to either side.”