A case of racially-charged ‘offensive behaviour’ filed by TV6 journalist Kejan Haynes against then Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) political leader Phillip Edward Alexander will be referred to a Tribunal for adjudication, after the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) rejected Alexander’s defence and a conciliatory meeting between the two parties failed to …
Read More »Noble: The media and public expectations; why public figures require more scrutiny
I am very grateful to both Earl Best and Cliff Bertrand for their extensive comments on my earlier piece. Because their input raises important points, and because I am indeed a passionate democrat (as Earl described me), it is befitting that some response be provided. It is also important to …
Read More »MATT: Sedition Act potentially criminalises journalists, activists, etc; Gov’t should review and repeal
“MATT sees the Act as potentially criminalising journalists, media houses, public interest activists, trade unionists, artists, bloggers and assorted social media commentators. “[…] We view current activation of certain provisions of the Sedition Act as, disturbingly, another effort by the State to constrain fundamental rights of free speech and press freedom…” The …
Read More »Media monitor: An off-Monday for voice, vision and print? You’re kidding!
Jinks. India’s Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane’s all-formats skipper, has often called him by that nickname in post-match interviews. But since he has made a splash or two in the Indian Premier League and occasionally been a stand-out performer for the Indians over the last few years, Kohli’s handful of familiar …
Read More »‘They’re trying to vilify me’! Griffith responds to WPC complaint of verbal abuse, intimidation
On Sunday 11 August 2019, The Sunday Express reported that a complaint of verbal abuse and intimidation was made by an unnamed woman police constable (WPC) against Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and Police Complaints Authority (PCA). The article, which was written by investigative …
Read More »Dear Editor: Warning on President’s Image is unconstitutional and threat to freedom of expression
“For the President to issue a Policy that restricts livestreaming, broadcasting and publication of her name and image without permission is a direct threat to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Unlike those constitutionally entrenched rights, there is no constitutional protection for the President’s name and image.” The …
Read More »Eras in a bun dense: Wednesday’s perfect storm of genuine media howlers
Let us call them simply ‘moments.’ I use the neutral term to refer to those momentous instances when you spot an error that is so glaring that you could not ignore it even if you wanted to. On Wednesday 26 June, I had four such moments, which I should like …
Read More »Office of the President reveals guidelines for use of Weekes’ image without permission
“The Office of the President therefore advises members of the public—inclusive of advertisers, promoters, event organisers, publishers, broadcasters, practitioners and users of traditional and digital media, and all others whose functions may come into contact with the Office and/or person of the President—to refrain from use of the President’s image, …
Read More »Noble: ‘Who let the blogs in?’ The risk of MATT’s Devant defence
The Police’s seizure of Mr Devant Maharaj’s phone in pursuit of information, re the recent credible bomb threat, raises important questions about the evolution of the media and the preservation of press freedom. The importance does not arise merely on the issue of the action taken but we need to …
Read More »Media Monitor: Requiem for the daily departed; Express, Guardian, TV6 flounder in cricket coverage
We have been asked to announce the death of cricket reportage. In this post-Tony-Cozier age of e-literacy when T20 has shifted the focus squarely onto entertainment, its final passing, long in coming, will probably go largely unremarked and certainly unlamented. The only ones crying will be those media owners who …
Read More »Murder she wrote: Mills and Crime; why blame for media coverage should be spread around
The insightful story by Suzanne Mills about her mother’s struggles is useful to highlight how the media wrestles with framing the large issues of life. It raises the issue of how we define who is a good editor. Is the metric the profitability of the media house, or is it …
Read More »Suzanne Mills: Has Newsday’s ghastly crime coverage—pioneered by my mom—helped or hindered fight against crime?
“At around 2 or 3pm, the commencement of crunch time, some editor, perhaps even I, would stick our heads out of our offices and ask, ‘No murders yet?’ […] As the murder toll rose, I asked Therese [Mills], ‘What’s the point of these crime front pages? We’re not making a sliver …
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