MEDIA-THE BAHAMAS: Censorship By Any Other Name…

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

De Nash

NASSAU, May 25 1998 (IPS) - In just over a year since its last controversy involving censorship, trouble is again brewing at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, ZNS.

Recently staff members at the country’s sole television station and three radio stations were called to a meeting in the Corporation’s board room.

A directive from the news director was explicit: “Effective immediately this is to be the policy for news coverage at the House of Assembly: A synopsis of the Bill or resolution by the mover and the seconder of the Bill or resolution must constitute the primary report.

“This primary report must be carried on at least two major radio newscasts. One of the newscasts must be the 8 a.m. morning news and the television major newscast. Reports on any other contributions are to be treated as supplementary reports, and while carried, cannot detract from the primary reports.”

Since the mover and seconder of a resolution are the majority party’s representatives, chances are slim to none that a response from the Opposition will be aired. The affected ZNS reporters who cover government proceedings sat first in stunned silence.

Objections voiced were to no avail.

“They don’t agree with it at all,” observed one staff member.

“This is self-censorship,” added Jerome Sawyer, a ZNS reporter who sometimes covers the House. “Let us do our jobs in a fair and objective manner. Let the public decide.

“As a professional hired to serve the Bahamian public, who pay for this Corporation, I must present the news as I find it,” said another journalist, speaking on condition of anonymity. “If you don’t want that, don’t send me.”

The memorandum containing the directive was leaked almost immediately to members of the Opposition Progressive Liberal Party, (PLP) as well as the private radio stations and Nassau’s two daily newspapers — the Nassau Guardian and the Tribune.

“We demand that the government give its absolute undertaking now that this memo will be rescinded,” said Opposition Member of Parliament Bradley Roberts in the House of Assembly following word of the memorandum. “Failing that, the Opposition puts the government on notice that it will use its democratic right and will close down ZNS.

While there are another six radio stations operating in The Bahamas, only ZNS covers the entire archipelago. In February last year, the Corporation suspended all call-in talk shows during a by-election campaign on the island of Andros to replace the retiring former Prime Minister, Lynden Pindling.

ZNS reporters were told by management to report on speeches given by the national party leaders, and not the actual constituency candidates. There are no newspapers on Andros and residents depend on ZNS radio for news. Unless physically present at the rallies, voters could possibly elect someone they had never heard about. The ruling Free National Movement’s (FNM) candidate won, thereby creating a 35 to five representation by the FNM and PLP in the House of Assembly.

Margaret Guillaume, president of The Bahamas Press Club, the two- year old national media organisation, feels democracy is being threatened when government politicians are issuing directives to the reporters of the publicly-financed Broadcasting Corporation as to how they are to disseminate the proceedings from Parliament.

“This is wrong, and blatantly so….The presentation of news value ,,, should be left to the determination of the trained professionals,” she said.

Opposition Senator, Fred Mitchell, himself a former news director at the Broadcasting Corporation has accused the Minister in charge of Broadcasting, David Thompson, of defining for reporters what is news.

“Our colleagues in the PLP have always believed this, but this is now confirmed in black and white,” he said.