This week, Liberia’s public sphere has been alive with debate. Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe’s stinging denunciation of “mercenary journalism”, rapidly bolstered by former Data Minister Ledgerhood Julius Rennie, has drawn each applause and unease.
Lenard Dodo, Writer of The Liberia Investigator claimed that their criticism will not be misplaced. Journalism that trades fact for political or monetary favor undermines public belief and weakens democracy. It should not have any place in our society.
In an article, Dodo famous, “However whereas we condemn mercenary practices, as we should, we must also acknowledge a tougher fact that Liberia’s skilled media is gasping for air. And if we fail to confront the structural and monetary fragility of the sector, we are going to find yourself with fewer credible establishments and extra of the very mercenaries all of us decry.”
He added that working a media establishment in Liberia at present is a herculean job. Promoting revenue-the conventional spine of journalism worldwide-is threadbare right here. Most newspaper commercials come within the type of job vacancies, procurement notices, or invites to bid. More and more, these will not be printed in print in any respect, however redirected to authorities web sites, together with the President’s official web site and HR portals.
“Even when advertisements do attain newsrooms, the federal government, Liberia’s largest advertiser, has a poor file of paying its payments. Some shops are nonetheless owed from the earlier administration, which itself inherited debt from its predecessor. The result’s a vicious cycle, leaving struggling media homes to limp from one monetary disaster to a different, unable to put money into coaching, investigative reporting, and even fundamental operations,” he identified.
“Distinction this with Ghana, for instance. The state-owned Each day Graphic, which maintains an impartial editorial line, publishes pages of commercials from the nation’s largest banks, telecoms, lodges, and repair suppliers. Apparently, a few of those self same banks additionally function in Liberia, however we barely see them promote within the Liberian press.”
Dodo mentioned in Ghana, the non-public sector acknowledges the press as a automobile for commerce and public engagement. In Liberia, other than a couple of exceptions like Orange Liberia and Lonestar MTN, company promoting in mainstream media is almost nonexistent. Main lodges, banks, and repair suppliers hardly ever, if ever, use Liberian newspapers or radio for promotion.
“That is the place the dialog should shift. It isn’t sufficient to sentence dangerous actors; we should construct the circumstances for good journalism to thrive. Skilled media establishments can not maintain themselves on condemnation and braveness alone. With out dependable income streams, moral newsrooms shrink whereas “mercenary” ones, flush with money from political patrons, broaden,” he famous within the article.
The article burdened that Liberia urgently wants boards, multi-stakeholder areas bringing collectively authorities, enterprise, civil society, and the media itself, to design mechanisms for sustainability. These may embody:
“A clear framework for presidency promoting that ensures well timed funds and allocates notices pretty throughout shops. Incentives for personal sector promoting, recognizing media as a part of the nationwide financial and democratic infrastructure.”
He mentioned media growth funds or tax incentives tied to skilled requirements, serving to shops improve expertise, enhance salaries, and put money into investigative reporting. A revitalized Press Union of Liberia (PUL) empowered not solely to police ethics however to advocate for sustainable trade reform.
“The choice is bleak. If credible establishments collapse, Liberia shall be left with a media panorama dominated by these with the deepest pockets — typically politicians and vested pursuits. Fact will develop into negotiable, accountability non-compulsory, and democracy hole.”
Dodo added, “Cllr. Gongloe is correct: mercenary journalism is a menace to Liberia’s fragile democracy. However so too is the sluggish demise {of professional} journalism via neglect. To safeguard our democratic future, critics and stakeholders alike should transcend lamentations and convene options.”
Concluding Dodo added that condemnation is simple. Sustainability is tough. However solely the latter will make sure that Liberia’s media stays what it should be: an impartial watchdog, not a mercenary for rent.
