South Sudan calls for collaboration with media
By Ngor Arol Garang
March 22, 2010 (RENK) — The semi autonomous regional government of South Sudan has today called on private media operating in the regional capital of Juba and in the states to partner with Government to foster development in the region.
George Garang, an undersecretary in the regional ministry of information and broadcasting service said media should disseminate reliable information which should help people make informed decisions on the well-being of the nation.
“We are at the election season and that media being mouth piece of the general public should cooperate with the government and people of south Sudan in disseminating election messages as independent and professional institutions guided by ethics of their work,” Garang said.
The official who talked to Sudan Tribune from Juba said that Government regards media as an important tool in the governance of the country.
“Media, be they private or government owned, should work with Government to develop the nation; they must strive to disseminate information which would enable people in various sectors of the economy make informed decisions,” he said.
Since this is election season, we in the government of southern Sudan and states expect media to play important role in informing local population to vote wisely during elections, he adds stressing that media should educate rural population about the importance of elections.
“People do not know why elections are important, it is the media and the government to educate them and this need cooperation between them in reference to the government and media,” he said.
The official seemed to have directed his call to privately owned media urged interaction with Government and seek information on development and election without fabrications. “We realized that some media houses do not come to government officials to seek right information but instead depend on secondary information rushed for publication without verifying the source,” he said.
“If you need any information, come to us or call directly if you are out of Juba and will give you access to the information you want,” the official said adding there are certain information published by the media without conducting in-depth interview. “They just publish rumors. This is what I have realized from most media in Juba,” he said.
The official also revealed that they are moving away from analogue to digital broadcasting stressing this needs cooperating with private media.
“We are planning to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting and if you the private media are not interacting with Government, how are you going to seek the information on the development?,” Garang said.
He also said the media should be mindful of the information they disseminate to the public to lessen tension in the country particularly during this election seasons.
“Right now the media is causing a lot of tension in the country because of the information they are disseminating to the people. The people will always take whatever we broadcast or publish to be the truth, hence the need to be careful with the way we handle this information,” he said.
He challenged the media in Sudan particularly those operating in the south to spearhead the building of peace in the region instead of causing anarchy stressing media is an important tool which should be used for the right purposes.
(ST)
peter pal
South Sudan calls for collaboration with media
Good. It is the best way you[GOSS] can reach the few inches left.
James John
South Sudan calls for collaboration with media
I’m seeing SPLM as week government and the last in the world……Even Kiir him self don’t kno what he’s doing…..and yet he want to be a leader again. the question is for what?
SPLM, look like a small babies who start walking yesterday and don’t know where he/she going. Southern Sudan will not develop in this party level…….five years past with nothing and I’m sure he want another five years which will pass with nothing again.
My dear Southerners, so what is the plan “B” for this government?? and yet they’re growing their stomach. I’m glad that the people of Yet will not vote for him be’s the Yet people know who is useless and it’s Kiir. I believe Kiir should get out of that post if Southerners want to see real change all around South Sudan.
Dinka Boy
South Sudan calls for collaboration with media
The Goss must trained journalists on how to report issues in the Country.
Yes, South Sudan must work hand to hand when they are reporting issues base on the conduct of ethics.
Those bias report must be filtered and journalists must and should distance themselves from those sort of reports. This election need prudent awareness,but not the irrelevant kind of reports which encourage hatred and selfishnes in the country. Code of ethics must be enforced to those journalists because the new nothing about it.
To mr James John, please kill yourself if you dislike SPLM,or else you articulate the Bashier government that you love very well.
Thanks
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
South Sudan calls for collaboration with media
PAPA Kiir Maryardick has totally ruin the power of media like the way he ruin the image of Southern national and international, where is Equatorian reporter Isaac Vuni? where is the report of money being wasted in current campaign? who is an active journalist in Juba this day? Ladies and Gentleman it is a big shame for a CITY to be without a journalist. The only man that will allow free and fair media power in South will be our Dr LAM, VOTE FOR LAM VOTE FOR YOUR FUTURE. We have had the worse experience in Kiir’s regime, the time has come to change from worse to bad, bad to better through our dream president Dr Akol Lam. Time for traditional and ancient maryardick to retire or resign. Too old to lead and too incapable. Enough is Enough
Gatwech
South Sudan calls for collaboration with media
Hypocrats!
The Information GOSS ministry is doing nothing than blackmailing the media in the South. They are intimidating the work of the media far worse than what Khartoum is doing in the North.
Reports reaching us from Juba indicate that ministry of information and broadcasting has directed Juba Radio and TV not to broadcast campaign rallies of independent candidates.
Is that what so-called Garang is trying to tell private media not to publish non-SPLM candidates campaign speeches? How can you provide a smooth and leveled ground for campaigns if others are denied access to state meida?
And how can media’s source of information be controlled by the government. This is pure dictatorship and SPLM’s retreat from its democratic principles it pretended was fighting for.
There is no free and fair access to state media (Radio and TV) by independent candidates and the rest. That is rubbish!!!
Time1
South Sudan calls for collaboration with media
This is what south sudan government is working for, free press and media, but the media also has to be sensitive and responsible not to use its freedom to cause harm but instead use its freedom to support development and support the democratic process, some media just want to right about issues which has nothing to do with promoting democracy, they just want to incite violence and hatred, this are the kind of media who will be targetted , all other media will be untouched as free and as do their work, as long as they follow the guidlines.