http://www.demerarawaves.com/i...a-tv-suspension.html
Reporters Without Borders slams Sharma TV suspension
Written by Demerara Waves
Tuesday, 04 October 2011 11:17
International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has condemned President Bharrat Jagdeo's suspension of CNS TV6 ahead of the upcoming elections calling it an appalling move.
"The presidential order is all the more reprehensible for forcing the station off the air during the run-up to regional and general elections that must be held by 28 December," the group said in a release Tuesday.
It added that the suspension is "both discriminatory and absurd."
"How can the president's personal view of a comment made on the air be grounds for reducing CNS Channel Six to silence? But this appalling measure is all the more inopportune for coming during an election period.
The fact that the station is owned by Chandra Narine Sharma, the leader of the opposition Justice for All Party, is a further reason for seeing it as an attack on pluralism and democratic debate," the France-based NGO declared.
It noted that the official reason for the suspension was opposition parliamentarian Anthony Vieira's on-the-air criticism of Bishop Juan Edghill for which the former PNCR1-G MP and Sharma have been sued by Edghill.
"There is nothing to stop Bishop Edghill filing a lawsuit over the comments that were made about him but, on the other hand, nothing permits President Jagdeo to use these comments as grounds for imposing censorship," Reporters Without Borders said.
Sharma had been suspended twice before for broadcast breaches, the first time for one month and the second time for four months. This time the television operator, whose station went off air at 6 PM Monday, said he would be laying off his 30 workers.
Reporters Without Borders also noted Jagdeo's testy relationship with certain sections of the media and drew attention to the July passage of the Broadcasting Bill which contains elements that have raised eye brows.
"It provides for a National Broadcasting Authority with a board of seven persons all named by the president. Also clause 32 of the new law says that all programmes must be "fair and balanced."
Trying to use legislation to impose criteria about 'good' programme content and news coverage is unfortunately the surest way to obstruct the work of the media," Reporters Without Borders concluded.
Reporters Without Borders slams Sharma TV suspension
Written by Demerara Waves
Tuesday, 04 October 2011 11:17
International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has condemned President Bharrat Jagdeo's suspension of CNS TV6 ahead of the upcoming elections calling it an appalling move.
"The presidential order is all the more reprehensible for forcing the station off the air during the run-up to regional and general elections that must be held by 28 December," the group said in a release Tuesday.
It added that the suspension is "both discriminatory and absurd."
"How can the president's personal view of a comment made on the air be grounds for reducing CNS Channel Six to silence? But this appalling measure is all the more inopportune for coming during an election period.
The fact that the station is owned by Chandra Narine Sharma, the leader of the opposition Justice for All Party, is a further reason for seeing it as an attack on pluralism and democratic debate," the France-based NGO declared.
It noted that the official reason for the suspension was opposition parliamentarian Anthony Vieira's on-the-air criticism of Bishop Juan Edghill for which the former PNCR1-G MP and Sharma have been sued by Edghill.
"There is nothing to stop Bishop Edghill filing a lawsuit over the comments that were made about him but, on the other hand, nothing permits President Jagdeo to use these comments as grounds for imposing censorship," Reporters Without Borders said.
Sharma had been suspended twice before for broadcast breaches, the first time for one month and the second time for four months. This time the television operator, whose station went off air at 6 PM Monday, said he would be laying off his 30 workers.
Reporters Without Borders also noted Jagdeo's testy relationship with certain sections of the media and drew attention to the July passage of the Broadcasting Bill which contains elements that have raised eye brows.
"It provides for a National Broadcasting Authority with a board of seven persons all named by the president. Also clause 32 of the new law says that all programmes must be "fair and balanced."
Trying to use legislation to impose criteria about 'good' programme content and news coverage is unfortunately the surest way to obstruct the work of the media," Reporters Without Borders concluded.
