BU read the story Media For Rent, Press Freedom For Sale in the Trinidad Express (31/05/2014). There is the belief – a mistaken one – in Barbados we should not worry about threats to press freedom which have appeared in Trinidad, Guyana and a few other places in the region. We have become so comfortable in the mistaken belief that there is no need for the Barbados Association of Journalists (BAJ) to function. The only reason it serves is to pad the resume of the holders of the various offices of the BAJ.
A scan of the local media houses sees the Barbados Advocate pro-government in content. The CBC TV 8 has been manipulated by successive governments and it is no different with the current government. Many who watch TV 8 news and read the Barbados Advocate struggle to acquire an appreciation for what is truly happening in the country. The Nation’s focus is on sensationalizing news to boost sales and pander to advertisers by watering down content which offends. The Voice of Barbados tries but there is room for improvement. The elephant in the room is the concentration of ownership by one entity which continues to go ignored.
We have not reached the level of prostitution by media houses compared to Trinidad but we are not far behind. There is no bona fide financial reporting therefore the media houses continue to allow the financial sector to go largely unchallenged. When Kaymar Jordan got too aggressive at the Nation newspaper she was jettisoned and now has to seek a wage at the Harris Williams controlled Barbados Today.
Until local media practitioners demonstrate a level of courage and independence, social media, including Barbados Underground, will continue to be followed by Barbadians who seek alternative views. To the detractors of BU and social media, our role is not to replace traditional media, and yes we get it wrong sometimes.
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