Ndaitwah raps division in media

THE Namibian Government has commended media workers who have helped to uncover corruption in the country as well as those who provide unbiased reports.

“The Government wants to congratulate the media practitioners who helped to uncover corruption and other social evils in our society on the one hand, and on the other hand thank those who went to extreme lengths to ensure their reporting was fair, objective and factual,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said in Windhoek on Wednesday. She was the guest speaker at a function to mark World Press Freedom Day.The theme this year was ‘Good Governance, Poverty Eradication and the Role of the Media’.The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to celebrate and evaluate press freedom around the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives pursuing the truth.A total of 150 journalists died in the line of duty in 2005 – the largest number in recorded history.The Minister said, however, that she was disturbed by some media practitioners whose publications carried articles that she believes are aimed at destroying nation building.”Allowing your paper to carry articles that are insulting to national leaders, heroes of the Namibian revolution or articles that are inciting is unacceptable and is tantamount to sabotaging the gains of Independence and undermining our democracy,” she said, adding that this was not about fighting poverty but perpetuating it.Nandi-Ndaitwah also spoke out strongly about the divisions in the Namibian media that have prevented the adoption of a unified code of ethics and the creation of a media council.The Southern African Development Community’s Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport and Namibia’s Information Policy call for the adoption of a code of ethics to boost public confidence and enhance professionalism and good governance in the media.These divisions were also stalling the establishment of a mediatory body to which the public, especially the poor, could turn if they felt aggrieved by articles or advertisements published or broadcast in Namibia.”As long as you are divided, there is no way you can do your work,” the Minister stressed.”Namibia is one country to date that does not have a media council.”She said if the media were to play a role in the fight against poverty, they needed to focus on development issues.The Minister appealed to all media practitioners to follow the example of the NBC radio talk show that starts with a reminder about nation building, and to avoid views that were tribalist, racist, sexist or offensive to other religions.Community media, she said, could also play an indispensable role in the fight against poverty.”The Government therefore pledges its full support to community media and calls on others to follow suit,” she added.Nandi-Ndaitwah also called for World Press Freedom Day to be given greater prominence in Namibia, where it has its roots.The day is celebrated on May 3 because it marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration – a statement on press-freedom principles put together by journalists in the Namibian capital in 1991.Calling for the media to use their power in a positive way, the Minister said: “You have to play your role as you did during the time of the liberation struggle.”She was the guest speaker at a function to mark World Press Freedom Day.The theme this year was ‘Good Governance, Poverty Eradication and the Role of the Media’.The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to celebrate and evaluate press freedom around the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives pursuing the truth.A total of 150 journalists died in the line of duty in 2005 – the largest number in recorded history.The Minister said, however, that she was disturbed by some media practitioners whose publications carried articles that she believes are aimed at destroying nation building.”Allowing your paper to carry articles that are insulting to national leaders, heroes of the Namibian revolution or articles that are inciting is unacceptable and is tantamount to sabotaging the gains of Independence and undermining our democracy,” she said, adding that this was not about fighting poverty but perpetuating it.Nandi-Ndaitwah also spoke out strongly about the divisions in the Namibian media that have prevented the adoption of a unified code of ethics and the creation of a media council.The Southern African Development Community’s Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport and Namibia’s Information Policy call for the adoption of a code of ethics to boost public confidence and enhance professionalism and good governance in the media.These divisions were also stalling the establishment of a mediatory body to which the public, especially the poor, could turn if they felt aggrieved by articles or advertisements published or broadcast in Namibia.”As long as you are divided, there is no way you can do your work,” the Minister stressed.”Namibia is one country to date that does not have a media council.”She said if the media were to play a role in the fight against poverty, they needed to focus on development issues.The Minister appealed to all media practitioners to follow the example of the NBC radio talk show that starts with a reminder about nation building, and to avoid views that were tribalist, racist, sexist or offensive to other religions.Community media, she said, could also play an indispensable role in the fight against poverty.”The Government therefore pledges its full support to community media and calls on others to follow suit,” she added.Nandi-Ndaitwah also called for World Press Freedom Day to be given greater prominence in Namibia, where it has its roots.The day is celebrated on May 3 because it marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration – a statement on press-freedom principles put together by journalists in the Namibian capital in 1991.Calling for the media to use their power in a positive way, the Minister said: “You have to play your role as you did during the time of the liberation struggle.”