The President of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, Mr. Anthony Greene has issued the following statement on current events affecting the Jamaican media sector.
The Caribbean Broadcasting Union, the CBU, is a unique grouping of media and communication sector organisations from the Dutch, English, French and Spanish Caribbean.
Its mandate, as demonstrated throughout its more than five-decade history, is to contribute to the development of this region from a media and communication perspective.
The CBU believes in and engages tirelessly in advocacy for freedom of information and freedom of the press.
In line with that mandate and having taken note of recent reports of public attacks on journalists and media managers in Jamaica, the CBU finds it necessary to issue a public statement.
The CBU is deeply concerned at these unfounded mis and disinformation attacks on media professionals at member organisation the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, as well as other media houses, apparently for political ends.
CBU sees this as a troubling development and notes the significant effect the incident has had on news professionals in Jamaica, as they seek to perform their public duties, including covering the lead-up to national elections constitutionally due in 2025.
Media professionals and values-driven media organisations are not immune from and do not seek to exempt themselves from fair comment and reasonable critique. However, these recent incidents have crossed into the field of personal attacks, apparently because of probing or critical coverage of matters which are clearly in the public interest.
The CBU expresses wholeheartedly support for professional journalism and for independence of the media in covering all aspects of society, including political issues.
And the CBU rejects partisan attacks on media practitioners, wherever they occur, since they can only serve to undermine one of the key pillars of democratic society and good governance, which is a fair and independent media sector.
– Anthony Greene , President Caribbean Broadcasting Union
For further information, contact info@caribroadcastunion.org
