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toubab1020
12237 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Nov 2020 : 11:11:24
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There is ALWAYS two sides to every story, this is such a case,PERSONALLY I think that there is the need for the public and press to be allowed the freedom of speech,due to advances in communications this has allowed SOME members of the public who have not had the advantage of education and live in remote bush areas where things have forever been done in "the local way" have had big difficulty in verbally expressing their thoughts and views.
Pura should have MAYBE thought about informing the Radio Stations and journalists of their concerns in a different way.
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https://foroyaa.net/gpu-program-manager-says-puras-message-to-media-houses-constitute-a-threat-to-press-freedom-freedom-of-expression/
By Nelson Manneh on November 17, 2020
Lamin Jahateh the Program Manager at The Gambia Press Union said PURA’s Press Release regarding the use of abusive language on radio station is a clear threat to press freedom and freedom of expression.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has recently raised concern with the use of abusive language on radio stations.
PURA released a statement indicating that the Authority was concern over the proliferation of abusive, uncouth and incendiary language on some radio stations in the country.
PURA in their Press Release indicated, ‘All’ radio station owners are hereby warned to devise programming as per the tenets of the IC Act, Individual Radio Station Licenses and the Broadcasting Code of Conduct. Failure to do so shall result in enforcement action against default licensees as per the provisions of the PURA Act, IC Act and relevant broadcasting regulations.”
Jahateh said they are aware that PURA has the legal mandate to regulate content for the broadcast media and as such it is ok to intervene where the journalism code of conduct is violated.
However, the GPU Program Manager said PURA could have written to the media houses concerned to bring their attention to the ethical breach so that internal corrective actions could be taken.
“By issuing a threat-loaded ‘final warning’ without making specific reference to any media house or program, PURA is merely using its regulatory weight to oppress the media houses for giving people divergent and dissenting opinions and an opportunity to be heard through phone-in programs,” he said.
Mr. Jahateh said it is worrying that PURA is setting a trend towards restriction on press freedom and freedom of expression when they are in fact supposed to ‘regulate’ the media to afford voices of dissent an opportunity to be heard.
“As a progressive, not fault-finding, regulator, PURA could simply engage the radio stations to endeavour to get live broadcast delay equipment to be able to filter certain offensive, libellous or profane call-in contributions, if the abuse of the phone-in opportunity is getting rampant and widespread,” he concluded.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 18 Nov 2020 11:13:38 |
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toubab1020
12237 Posts |
Posted - 20 Nov 2020 : 09:56:40
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https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headlines/gambians-urge-pura-to-stop-censorship-regulate-gsm-operators
Nov 19, 2020, 11:11 AM | Article By: Sankulleh Gibril Janko
Some Gambians have expressed their utter dismay at the Public Utility Authority (PURA) for what they say is censoring radio stations in the country after the regulatory body warned radio stations against the usage of foul language.
PURA earlier in the week issued a public notice expressing its concerns on abusive language on radio stations.
The regulatory body frowned at what it says is ‘abusive through the constant use of insults and unsavory language unethical to the cultural norms and values of Gambian society.’
It said some of the radio stations play uncensored music with graphic language during peak day time hours.
PURA also said “all radio stations owners are hereby warned to devise programming as per the tenets of the IC Act, Individual Radio Station Licenses and the Broadcasting Code of Conduct.
Failure to do so shall result in the enforcement action against default licences as per the provisions of the PURA Act, IC Act and relevant broadcasting regulations.
This statement has angered some sections of the population who accused PURA of censoring and misplaced priorities.
Some of them say the regulatory body should help to regulate the expensive cost on the internet instead of threatening radio stations.
Papis said: “I don’t see the sense in them threatening the radio stations about language. I don’t see anywhere that language in the radio station is affecting society.
“With all the evolving technology and internet in the world, Gambians in the late 2020 are yet to enjoy a steady internet and despite its expensiveness. So that’s one area PURA is really needed to act upon.”
On the cost of internet in the Gambia, Omar said, “the rates are too much and the services are poor, Gambians have been robbed by these service providers for too long and still continue to suffer great loss of income for unsatisfactory services.”
The Gambia has one of the most expensive internet costs in Africa. Despite the overwhelming cost of the internet, the country still has one of the poorest internet services in the world. Ordinary poor Gambians continue to bear the brunt and some of them are urging PURA to mitigate that instead of threatening their freedom of expression.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12237 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2020 : 15:11:18
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https://standard.gm/to-what-extent-can-freedom-of-speech-be-elastic/
By Lamino Lang Comma on November 27, 2020
Value systems are derived from what are regarded as moral principles or morality. Morality is often derived from traditions of a society that have been established and accepted over the years. Traditions have a cultural flavor that binds different societies together for their peaceful coexistence and survival. Value systems are not universal since they are defined by different societies and even where, more often than not, they have a common denominator of some moral aspect, they may be given different priorities or ranking by different societies.
In a world that is getting smaller and more interrelated, if not integrated, a globalized world would require a higher level of cooperation, understanding and appreciation of other societies that are in existence in order to sustain the survival and peaceful coexistence of humankind. Since value systems are hinged on to morality, they have an underlying meaning that encompasses the definition of what is acceptable or right and what is unacceptable or wrong for an individual, society or a nation.
Over the years, these value systems have then been extended into the realms of non-religious considerations with a secularized format. Nonetheless, there is a common foundation of the underlying morality of these systems which are both religious and secular. However, the superstructure of such a foundation has developed into various shapes and shades of value systems depending on how far a society is willing to stretch the definitions and concepts. Thus, value systems are not absolute because they can be so elastic that they can be stretched to encompass a way of life that is perceived as the best for the enhancement of life for society.
The religious society lives a life that correlates to their belief – normally called faith. The secularist society excludes religion from the governing of society. The former lives a life in accordance to the freedom granted through the Will of a Creator and the latter lives life as freedom defined by humankind. Here lies the thorny engagement and interpretation of the codes of how-to live-in society.
Value systems under the umbrella of Islam have found its interpretation being used by a small fraction of Muslim society as an ideological weapon, although this is not a peculiar feature to the religion of Islam. Historically, all monotheistic religions have had their fair share of using interpretation as an ideological weapon as a means to an end by a small section of their communities. There is a saying that the devil sometimes interprets the Bible. The point is that, a small enclave of an aggressive few must not be seen as representing an entire faith that uses religion as an ideological weapon. Ideology has commonly been known to be used as a means to a political end. However, faith is derived from morality and defines the values of a society of believers. It is in this regard that there must always be a vehement condemnation of atrocities committed by such a few in the name of religion.
The events in France over the past years and currently should be of global concern with renewed perspectives from two points of view – the use of violence as an agenda and the use of freedom of speech with a limitless definition. The different points of view emerge as a result of the interpretation of the various concepts that embody the value system of a society. The interpretation of religious edicts has given rise to ideological religious thinking whilst the interpretation of freedom of speech has become a defining polarization factor between the religious and the secular society. The problem lies in the obstinate adherence to either standpoint in an ever-changing world and circumstances.
Islam needs a unified approach to resist the unjustifiable interpretation and misuse of its codes of morality. This unity can be further strengthened with an enhanced level of understanding from a more globalized world and not through the stoking of stigmatization. The very few aggressive groups are acting outside the norms of Islamic practices and beliefs. Their actions have consistently been universally condemned as abhorrent and totally despicable by all standards from the point of view of both faith based and secular morality.
Nonetheless, respect and the recognition and protection of rights are of paramount importance in a globalized world. Secularist thinking cannot banish religious thinking whilst expecting the full respect and regard for its secularist format of living. That is contradictory and unsustainable. There should be some amount of complementarity of respect accorded to both sides. Both thoughts derive their strength of values from the foundation of morality which in itself is not absolute. However, morality goes beyond the definition of a right or wrong behavior. It extends into what is that we ought to do and defines the way we ought to live our lives in society in peaceful coexistence whether as individuals or as a group or as a nation.
The old fashion condescending attitude towards other value systems is repellant, unconscionable and unsanctionable. Geopolitics has been changing over the years. Economic and political powers have gradually outstretched into what were hitherto considered as states and empires of colonial estates. These emerging states have their own value systems. It has become a question of what ought to be done as a global society to live a life of peaceful coexistence in a globalized world through mutual respect and understanding of each other’s value systems.
In other words, the other point of view lies in defining the elasticity of freedom of speech. There is nothing like absolute freedom. It must be, and is indeed, circumscribed, to some extent and under certain circumstances, by the prohibition of the burning of a national flag or the proscription of a denial of atrocious events in history and should indeed include the recognition of the respect accorded to the Prophet of Islam by a substantial and significant portion of the global population as a nation. Religious thinking, in reality, can never be banished by secularist concepts of freedom rather it is the elasticity of freedom of speech that must not be overstretched. Just thinking aloud.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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