December 15, 2010
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned that Papua New Guinea’s public broadcaster is bowing to
political pressures, after it suspended a senior news editor this week.
Amid deepening political controversy in the Pacific Island nation, Dora Masseung, executive news director of the
National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), was suspended on full pay on December 14. Government officials had reportedly
alleged the broadcaster was biased in its reporting on current political activities.
The suspension came one day after Michael Somare stepped aside as Prime Minister while a tribunal assesses allegations
that he failed to lodge several annual financial statements in the 1990s. Somare has regularly accused the media and
public officials of bias and lying about him.
NBC managing director Memafu Kapera told local journalists that new editorial rules to check political news reports
before going to air were being instituted to ensure balance in reporting, according to the Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF).
Kapera denied NBC, the largest broadcasting organisation in PNG, is being gagged.
PFF said in a statement it had no doubt that Masseung’s suspension was connected to recent political turmoil. The
organisation is worried that the suspension of Masseung, linked to the new edicts on scrutiny of political reporting,
result from political pressures rather than independent efforts to improve reporting quality.
The IFJ supports PFF’s call for PNG’s Government to allow the national media to do its work without fear or political
pressure.
“The IFJ calls on NBC to reinstate Dora Masseung to her position immediately, and urges the PNG Government to recognise
the role of the PNG Media Council in handling media complaints,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.
“Public broadcasters must be independent of political influence and pressure from the Government in order to fulfill
their essential role in upholding robust and accountable democratic practice.”
The IFJ supported PFF’s position that allegations of imbalance and biased reporting are often an excuse for public
officials to seek to control media organisations and journalists.
ENDS