2 January 2009
A Liberian cleric and Senior Pastor of the New Water in the Desert in Brewerville, Rev. Kortu Brown has made a passionate plea to Liberian media practitioners to be more developmental in their reportage in the New Year, for the betterment of the nation and its people.
Rev. Brown, Founder of the Concern Christian Community (CCC) on Johnson Street made the call yesterday at the compound of the Church in Brewerville when he spoke to team of roving reporters, to give his New Year message.
The Liberian cleric earlier praised the media for the level of news coverage in 2008, but stressed the need for the media to chart a new course in its reportage in 2009, in line with the development initiative being undertaken in the country.
Speaking further, Rev. Brown said in 2008, the Liberian media concentrated its coverage in Monrovia, ignoring other parts of the country.
Describing it as poor performance on the part of the Liberian media, the Liberian cleric also said the media primarily concentrated on politics instead of developmental news, which is referred to development journalism.
"Your reporting in 2008 was politics-centered, and as we enter the New Year, the press must see reasons, redirect its focus and portray a positive image that would add impetus to the reconstruction efforts.
Though, he praised the Liberian media in general, he was quite to point out that some media practitioners and executives used the profession to blackmail others, not taking into consideration the ethics that guide the journalism profession.
Rev. Brown failed to call names of those fond of blackmailing, but said such transgressions undermined the independence of the Liberian media and created credibility problems.
"As key component in the transformation of our country", Rev. Brown, said "in the coming year, the Liberian media must go beyond the watchdog of society title, must be thoughtful in its work."
"The press must do everything in its rich to be free of bad journalistic practices such as blackmailing, corruption and other negative vices."
Apart from that, Rev. Brown also said in the coming year, the Liberian media must not only focus on political reporting issues in Monrovia, but must endeavor to go to other parts of the country to highlight the plights of the people there.
He warned media practitioners and executives not to only use their media outlets to report issues that have the propensity to undermine the growth and development of the country.
"In the coming year, there is a need for media institutions and practitioners to be more positive in their reportage for the maintenance and sustainability of a peaceful environment that would encourage other nations of goodwill to contribute their quotas to the development of the country," he concluded his discussion with the journalists.
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