A Bumpy Ride To Media Freedom

‘The government cannot look on when the nation is misinformed through the media.’

Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the opening of the Media Roundtable (July 13 2005)WORLD Press Freedom Day on May 3 will this year be marked under the theme: ‘Media, Dialogue And Mutual Understanding’. This topic deals with the potential of the media in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation. It is also a good time to reflect on the impact of the historic 1991 Windhoek seminar on media independence and pluralism. Based on the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on that date in 1991, the UN General Assembly made May 3 World Press Freedom Day.The question we need to ask is how this has affected Namibia. It is no secret that Namibian media operate in a relatively free legal environment but the past year still saw numerous challenges to journalists’ ability to play a role for the betterment of our democracy.Despite our long tradition of independent, critical and investigative journalism with Government appearing to be committed to respecting democratic institutions and freedom of information, there were several worrying red lights which flashed over the past 12 months.I won’t list them all since the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) will be issuing its annual ‘So This Is Democracy’ report compiled on all the incidents related to media abuse and harassment over the last year.But to put this piece in context I still need to highlight some of the issues.First, it is a well-known fact among media that the true test of media freedom in a society comes at times of high political tension. The year 2008 and even the first few months of this year have surely tested the attitude of political leadership towards the media and I don’t think they come out with flying colours. Sad to say, though we have displayed some political stability, we are failing to demonstrate great depth in recognising the democratic importance of unfettered media.Supporters of Swapo and opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) respectively square up in a township because of a dispute over the spot of a political rally, attack each other in full view of the Police and the next day the media are blamed for ‘sensationalist’ reports, lack of patriotism, and even of being opposition sympathisers, as well as others. Cover another rally with the same outcome and the media again get the blame for causing alarm, instability, confusion and much more. Those are but two examples. One can list many other similar cases.We need to realise that a political climate of openness and transparency is needed for citizens to contribute to the monitoring of the economic, social and political issues in their community and wider society. Thus pledges to increase transparency and accountability in public administration must be backed up with laws granting full access to areas of information in the public interest.What we have experienced lately is almost the opposite. Calls have been made to ‘investigate’ the short message service (SMS) pages in The Namibian and we no longer have the NBC’s Chat Show (morning). In fact, the evening call-in programme on NBC hangs on a very thin thread and may be dropped altogether if callers are perceived to ‘abuse’ it.This despite calls by Misa and the Editors’ Forum that cancellation of the popular phone-in show was raising fears that those ruling the country were clamping down on media freedom and freedom of expression.The past months have also seen media houses intensify pressure on Government for a freedom of information act to provide full and open access to publicly held information. Such an act would ensure that the media can find the information that is needed to hold those we elect accountable for what we have elected them to do.This year’s theme deals with the potential of media in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation.The media not only act as a watchdog against abuses by authorities or large corporate bodies – they also empower citizens with the information they require to exercise their democratic rights.Openness to the media can cultivate good governance by enabling a dialogue between the public and their elected officials. Instead, we find in most a situation in most public offices where even an ordinary circular on working hours comes in a file marked ‘secret’. Yes, it is part of where we come from. But we are talking of 18 years after Independence!We need to open up the Government to the citizens through making information accessible. That is part of empowering people to participate in governing themselves and changing their society.What access to information means is for someone in a rural area to be able to approach the local municipal council to ask why the cost of water is at a certain rate, how they determine it or why someone cannot have a certain service in a specific area. People should have a say in what is offered to them without others feeling antagonistic.We still have several outdated laws from pre-Independence times and our lawmakers have conveniently ignored repealing them because they can come in handy at certain times. Some of those laws deal with formal and informal censorship and the restriction and control of information.Instead of dealing with those laws, Government is more interested in ‘helping’ the media to set up a media council. This despite efforts by Misa and the Namibia Editors’ Forum to initiate a self-regulatory mechanism.As Unesco says in this year’s World Press Freedom Day message: ‘A media that is vibrant, independent, pluralistic, inclusive and fair, editorially free and beyond censorship and influence from interests, political, commercial, or otherwise … will innately contribute to the dialogue and understanding across divides.’What we need to realise is that a free media is essential for the provision of information and knowledge upon which informed democratic participation and good governance depend.Let Namibian journalists practice their profession without fear. They need to move freely to collect facts and views, to disseminate news, to demand accountability from those in office, and to protect their sources. Of course, in turn, journalists must exercise the highest ethical and professional standards and conduct themselves in accordance with general ethical principles.What gains the ‘fourth estate’ made over the past 12 months were not given on a plate, but were fought for. What defences were held were maintained not through the weakness of attacks but the resilience of the defenders. There was no shortage of powerful forces seeking to silence journalists.I agree with Unam media lecturer Dr Fred Mwilima who, while writing for the Global Media Journal (African Edition) last year said ‘…worrying trends have emerged with attempts made to silence voices of criticism in the media’.’Should this continue there would be death of the human voice and the Namibian public will remain mere recipients rather than intelligent consumers of media content. The Namibian media’s journey to the freedom house remains a bumpy one’.I salute all my colleagues who will mark this day on Sunday, May 3.Let’s fight on.