Stop Telikom PNG Silencing Journalists, Media Council Appeals To PM Marape
The Media Council of Papua New Guinea (MCPNG) has called on Prime Minister James Marape to stop Telikom PNG silencing and suppressing media personnel.
Telikom PNG, which is 100 percent government-owned, has two key outlets: FM100 and EMTV.
Recently, it sacked FM100 talkback host Culligan Tanda after he featured opposition MP Allan Bird on his show, following the most recent vote of no confidence.
Local media report that Tanda was initially suspended for three weeks without pay on 22 April, and subsequently terminated.
MCPNG president Neville Choi said this just the latest example of media suppression by Telikom PNG going back to 2018.
He said he himself was sacked in 2019 after EMTV had run a story quoting the former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying she would not be riding in one of the PNG government's luxury Maseratis during a APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation0 meeting.
Choi said the story, though correct, was perceived as painting the government of the day in a negative light.
He said a "free, robust, and independent media is an essential pillar of democracy".
"It is the cornerstone of allowing freedom of speech, and freedom of expression.
"Being in a position of power and authority gives no one, especially brown-nosing public servants wanting to score brownie points with the sitting government administration, the right to suppress media workers who are only doing their jobs, and doing it well."
The Council also reminded the management's of State-owned media organisations, that the Organic Law on the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) defines corrupt conduct by public officials and the dishonest exercising and abuse of official functions.
According to a PNG Haus Bung report, Marape has directed his chief of staff to get to the bottom of the issue.
He has also denied government interference, according to a report by Exeprenuer.
"We don't get down that low as to editorial content," Marape was quoted as saying by the the online magazine.
In December, Marape gave"full assurance that my government will not dilute the media's role."
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