Monrovia – Liberian Philanthropist Dr. Daniel E. Cassell has observed that the media landscape in Liberia is grappling with numerous intimidations and censorship under the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led- government of President George Manneh Weah.
Dr. Cassell, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania, USA, a Licensed Clinical Drug and Alcohol Counselor (LCADC) in New Jersey and the President/Founder of the Kwenah Professional Health Services based in the United States.
He is also the President/CEO of the Dr. Cassell’s Foundation in Liberia.
According to him, threats to revoke and the revocation of operational licenses of media institutions and armed robbery, or attacks on media institutions remain the order of the day in present Liberia.
He noted that despite the current situation, Liberian journalists should not allow their various platforms to be used by politicians who take advantage of the poverty and suffering of the Liberian people to only provide “handouts and bags of rice” during election time and never care about addressing the real issues that their constituents are faced with.
Dr. Cassell made these comments when he served as keynote speaker at the 56th anniversary celebration of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) held in Tubmanburg, Bomi County on Wednesday, September 30.
He spoke on the theme: “Impartial Journalism Contributes To Flourishing Democracy: Why Stay Independent?”
Dr. Cassell maintained that journalists should not join the “uninformed and uneducated sympathizers in marketing and promoting warlords, despite the atrocities committed against their fellow citizens”
‘Don’t Align With Criminals’
Dr. Cassell maintained that media practitioners should not align or support economic criminals who regardless of looting the country’s finances, spinning lies and feeding the public with what he calls “alternative truth, continue to be rewarded with some of the highest offices in the land”.
“As you come together to celebrate the 56th anniversary of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), let this day be marked as the sound of the ‘Trumpet Call to Duty. Do not join hands in promoting political actors or actresses who despite their lack of qualification and competence have been rewarded with Executive, Legislative and other top-level governmental positions”.
Dr. Cassell continued: “Let not the sacrifices and lives that were loss by those who came before you go to waste. Be the change they laid down their lives for”.
He, however, recalled that media freedom significantly increased under the administration of ex-Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf following the end of the Liberian civil war as compare to the administration of President Weah.
Dr. Cassell stated that significant progress was also made by the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) in terms of crafting major amendments to media laws, even though there were still widespread violations of the rights of journalists at the time.
“As you come together to celebrate the 56th anniversary of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), let this day be marked as the sound of the ‘Trumpet Call to Duty. Do not join hands in promoting political actors or actresses who despite their lack of qualification and competence have been rewarded with Executive, Legislative and other top-level governmental positions”.
– Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, Liberian Philanthropist
Be Voice for the voiceless
Dr. Cassell further challenged journalists in the country to use their various platforms to advocate and be the “voice of the voiceless, oppressed and abused” citizens who have been ostracized and called derogatory names including “Zogos” by no fault of their own, but rather as a direct result of the “reactionary formation of past civil wars, broken economy, and failed governance”.
He urged Liberian journalists to renew the public’s faith and hope in the media, through unified voices and platforms.
Dr. Cassell confronted media practitioners in the country to be agents of positive change and impartial in a bid to help guarantee a flourishing democracy in Liberia.
He added that citizens, especially members of the PUL, should be a change by using information dissemination as a power to educate the public on good governance, waste, and abuse of the country’s resources, among others.
“You can be the change by calling out public officials and administrations and political actors/actresses who spin lies and deceptions after failing to deliver any single substantial development project, engages in systemic violence against innocent civilians, men, women, and children, inability to address the basic public health needs of the citizens. You can be that change through your objective, diverse, and investigative reporting of events in our society”.
He noted that by being patriotic and putting issues or matters of the country above special interest, groups and political affiliation remain paramount to a better change in Liberia.
“Being that change that you want to see in our society requires you to put country first over political affiliation, lending your voices, and platforms to advocate for the poor, disenfranchised, and marginalized members of our society, using your voices and platforms to educate the citizens on the characteristics and competencies needed in a person to lead our nation and shouldn’t be based on popularity and public sentiments because absolutely, nothing can be expected from that criteria”.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cassell has contributed a cheque of US$10,000 to the leadership of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) as a “support” towards the tireless sacrifices journalists continue to make in the country in the midst of numerous challenges.
Deliberate Attempts at Censorship
For his part, PUL President Charles Coffey, urged the CDC led-government to reinforce its safety measures to fully guarantee the safety and protection of journalists.
“The attacks, detention, intimidation, and brutality meted against media practitioners have become unprecedented with seven journalists being attacked just in two weeks and ten attacked in three months across the country”.
Mr. Coffey disclosed that the Union considers these attacks, detentions, intimidations, and brutality against media personnel as deliberate attempts to force journalists into self-censorship and deny the public of credible, balanced, and accurate information.
He added that the Union continued to vehemently condemn these alleged barbaric acts in the strongest possible terms and has been persistently calling on the government to conduct a credible and independent investigation into these attacks.
“In response to the PUL request which was presented to the Liberian government through a petition, a special presidential investigative committee was set up by the government to probe the matter and provide findings within two weeks at the time. Since February of this year, the committee chaired by former Information Minister Dr. Lawrence K Bropleh is yet to conclude the investigation and release findings. The PUL is seriously concerned about the committee delay to reach a logical conclusion on this matter”.
Speaking further, Mr. Coffey observed that the “good taste and quality of the media are declining due to some media institutions and individuals role as propagandists over a true journalistic role that supposed to be depicting their calling”.
He noted that the media citizens cherished in the past are not becoming polarized with some media personnel alluringly engaging in blackmailing.
“Accordingly, some of the blackmailers are using some media outlets or their profession to falsely defamed people’s character and go with impunity. Some of these people calling themselves journalists even lacked basic professional knowledge and the fundamentals of journalism”.
“We need to embark on policy formulation exercise that will weed them out of the profession either through training, for those who can be trained and punishment for some of them who intentionally and falsely defaming people’s reputation depending on the gravity of the transgression”.
He blamed the unfavorable media environment in the country to the political ownership of some media outlets.
He noted that political interference into the editorial operations of the media and political employment or recruitment carried out are impeding professional journalism and declining its standing as a major actor in democracy and governance.
Mr. Coffey added that the situation is rapidly leaving many professional journalists without a profession.
“Because of the ownership, some people with vested political interest are deciding content of some radios daily to meet their goals at the advent of societal cohesion. Prior to the initiation of political ownership of the media in Liberia, the Journalism profession was respectable and enviable. In Liberia some of the Journalists are now captive in political rivalry that is running the media at the service of politicians”.
He continued: “In the absence of politicians’ direct control of some media contents, the credibility of the media will be sustained and slanting of truth to suit political ownership will end. Some of the media owned by politicians are also perhaps, the most problematic broadcast outlets in rural communities”.