20 March 2008
The Liberia Media Center (LMC) is today, March 20, releasing preliminary findings on the media coverage of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) public hearings covering January and February.
A release issued yesterday quoted the LMC as saying that the research targeted eight newspapers and four radio stations.
The newspapers include The Inquirer, The Daily Observer, Analyst, Heritage, The News, National Chronicle, Public Agenda and the New Democrat while the four radio stations include ELBC, Radio Veritas, Truth FM and Star Radio.
According to the LMC statement under the signature of its Executicve Director, Lawrence Randall, the research was aimed at monitoring the quality of media reports of the TRC public hearings; evaluating the media understanding of the process and legal, institutional framework; assessing the depth and relevance media outlets were devoting to articles on the TRC; and the media adherence to its code of ethics.
The release said the project is funded by UNESCO Paris and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ). The release says the TRC Chairman Cllr. Jerome Verdier has been invited to launch the report.
As part of its recommendations to be released today, the Center has called on the Commission to conduct an internal probe into the alleged fighting reported by the news media involving two Commissioners of the TRC.
LMC said it is important for the TRC to lead by example and such inquiry and subsequent findings would help improve what already seems an unfavorable perception of the TRC process in some quarters of society.
While calling for international and national support for the finalization of the Commission's work, the Center also enjoined the President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf not to abandon her earlier pledge to face the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"By facing the TRC, the President would lend further credibility to the process, provide the necessary momentum for its finalization and improve public perception of the TRC process", the release quotes Lawrence Randall, the Center's Executive Director.
On the media, the center encouraged media institutions to keep their focus on the TRC hearings and improve the contents of their coverage. Full details of the report and its accompanying recommendations will be released on Thursday, the release noted.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Analyst. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
