Monrovia, March 18, 2025: The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has officially launched a policy regulation, effectively commencing the registration, professional accreditation, and accountability of journalists, media and communication practitioners, and media institutions in Liberia.
The launch of the policy regulation is the first in the PUL's most recent history and addresses one of the key triggers that perpetuates conflict in the Union regarding the granting of Full Membership rights to ineligible journalists and non-journalists and the non-accountability of practicing journalists.
At a press conference on Tuesday, 18 March 2025, PUL President Julius Kanubah revealed that the release of the policy regulation was an important step to guide and advance journalistic integrity, media accountability, the rights of journalists, freedom of information, freedom of the media, and independent journalism.
Developed in partnership with the PUL Membership Committee with backstopping from media leaders and stakeholders, the policy regulation will serve to strengthen several core practices considering the official resumption of the registration and professional accreditation of journalists, media institutions and personnel, starting this Wednesday, 19 March 2018:
enforcement of the Constitution and By-Laws, Code of Ethics and Conduct for Liberian Journalists and all Members of the PUL;
adherence to proper, systematic, credible and transparent registration, accreditation, and accountability of journalists and all members of the PUL;
specification of bundles of rights regarding benefits and costs of being and not being a duly registered, professionally accredited journalist and member of the PUL;
institutionalization of the processes, criteria, and guidelines for the registration, professional accreditation, and accountability of journalists, media and communication practitioners, and all members of the PUL.
specification of the roles, powers, and responsibilities of the Membership Committee to receive, scrutinize and grant membership to applicants consistent with the PUL Constitution and By-laws, Code of Ethics and Conduct for Liberian Journalists and members of the PUL.
establishment of recourse mechanisms consistent with due process in the instant where an applicant for a specific category of membership is denied in part or rejected in whole; and
elimination of fraud, thereby eradicating the emergence and perpetuation of conflict in the PUL regarding the production of the Membership Register.
The Membership Committee, under the leadership of Mrs. Winnie Saywah Jimmy, Managing Publisher and Editor of the Inquirer Newspaper, has meanwhile pledged a robust and rigorous vetting of all applications for PUL membership, asserting that the Committee will not compromise the enforcement of the Constitution and By-laws of the Union, and the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Liberian journalists and members of the PUL.
As one of the oldest civic and pro-social-democracy groups in Liberia, the PUL Membership is greatly respected because it comes with national and international recognitions and several benefits inclusive of the conferral of a bundle of rights, for example:
to be institutionally considered a professional accredited journalist, media, or communication practitioner governed by a professional body, journalistic and media ethics and code of conduct.
to vote and be voted for in the crucial leadership elections of PUL.
to attend and participate in PUL policymaking Congress.
to participate in decision-making meetings of PUL membership.
to benefit from institutional journalistic solidarity, protection, professional development, capacity-building, networking, welfare opportunities, social connections and entertainment activities.
to be appointed to a leadership position and/or committee of the Union.
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to solicit funding to train or advocate for journalists/media/communication practitioners.
to receive financial statements and comprehensive narrative reports of programs and projects implemented by the leadership and/or relevant committees; and not least,
to receive the PUL prestigious annual awards as a true mark of outstanding work, high distinction, and quality journalism.
On the other hand, any journalist, media or communication personnel or institution failing to honor the annual membership registration and monthly dues payment of the PUL is designated as not in good moral and financial standing, thereby rendering such a person or institution as delinquent.
The PUL new policy regulation is consistent with Article 15 of the Liberian Constitution and Articles 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, and 19 of the PUL Constitution as well as all relevant sections of the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Liberian journalists and Members of the PUL.-Press release.
