Can’t write about big fish
By- Mervis Senga, Syful Islam & Bussaina Kamel
http://www2.fo.hik.se:16080/jd07/censorship.html
Being seasoned journalists in our respective countries, we became interested in the whole question about censorship and self-censorship in the media. Through our exchange of experiences it was evident that though nowadays there is much talk about freedom of the press, one cannot do away with censorship and self-censorship.
Actually we wanted to freely express ourselves as much as possible so that we paint a clear picture of what censorship and self-censorship is all about in our countries. However, self-censorship militated against our wishes. Nobody amongst us wanted to be quoted verbatim, for fear of repercussions.
Sometimes journalists exercise self-censorship unnecessarily. There is always fear of the unknown among them and they think for instance they cannot criticise government or write bad about any government official.
For example, two years ago former Malawian Health Minister Yusuf Mwawa used public funds for his wedding reception. The story spread throughout Malawi like bush fire.
Private newspapers carried it on their front pages with a call for Mwawa to resign while for the private radio stations, the story became an automatic first headline.
But Jane Masina, a journalist who works for the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), a state controlled radio station, had some fears to write about it. She thought it was not good and even dangerous to write against big fish in government.
Masina had courage to report on the matter only when the independent media had intensified their investigations about the case.
In most cases, Journalists at the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation end up leaking their news ideas to the independent press so that they can start the ball rolling and they follow. Its rare for MBC to break the news!
The same is true for Angela Chishimba a Zambian journalist working in a state controlled media. She deliberately avoids talking bad about the government or else the story will not be published. Chhay Channyda, a journalist from Cambodia has the same experience and she recalls a day when her boss asked her just to turn a blind eye on a story that involved the opposition.
Self-censorship emanates from censorship. One cannot dare to report on an issue that can attract the wrath of government or even the employer. ‘For us we often receive instructions from government not to report on certain issues. If we do, they think we are part of the Tamil Tigers’, said Uvindu Kurukulasuriya, a Journalist from Sri Lanka. Uvindu, however, said he found a way of dealing with censorship and this is to befriend his sources so that he gets closer to them.
And Bangladesh is currently in a state of emergency and nobody can criticise the military backed government. To this effect, Hamal magazine had its latest issue censored as its editorial clearly stated that the country was under fire.
The media in Malawi also has to follow set guidelines every now and then. Just recently private radio stations were barred from broadcasting live opposition rallies in the run up to the 2009 general elections. They have to seek prior permission from the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.
A similar scenario exists in Zimbabwe . The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act compels journalists to register with a government appointed body— the Media and Information Commission which is biased against the independent media. “ So far four independent newspapers: The Daily News, The Daily News on Sunday, The weekly Times and The Tribune have been shut down since 2003 when the law was enacted’, said Zhean Gwaze, a Zimbabwean journalist.
Zhean continued to say that Public Order and Security Act prohibits rallies and gatherings without police clearance. “ Due to this law, many journalists are caught in crossfire and arrested especially when they go to cover opposition rallies”, she said
Until last year journalists in Egypt were prohibited to write about ‘the three taboos’: the president and his family, religion and sex. Though some private media can now criticise the president and report on sexual issues, reporting on Islam remains a taboo. Recently Karim Amer was sentenced to four years imprisonment for insulting the president and Islam in his blog.
But whatever the case journalists have to strictly follow their ethics, censorship or no censorship.
