Medi Freedom Day fundraiser to help school buy equipment

THE funds raised during the Media Freedom Day breakfast will go towards buying new radio equipment for the journalism school at Divine Word University, says an alumni.
Divine Word University alumni and Maku Gifts fashion designer and manager Annette Sete said the event was an opportunity for journalists and media practitioners to work together to find solutions to elevate journalism standards in the country.
“All journalists and media practitioners in the media industry have the duty to purposefully improve and uphold the standards of journalism freely,” she said.
Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) chairman Peter Aitsi said in a democratic country like PNG, media became a tool for accountability to keep other institutions like legislature, executive and judiciary in check.
“Your work as media professionals can have significant positive impact as it can shape community attitudes, influence societal mindsets and inform changes in government policies,” he said.
Aitsi said Transparency International PNG was very much committed to seeing a professional, capable and independent media industry.
“As part of our support, we have partnered with the Media Council of PNG to host several training workshops and several industry events aimed at reigniting media practitioners,” he said.
Aitsi said TIPNG’s Investigative Journalism Awards were part of its Promoting Anti-Corruption and Integrity Strategies project funded with support from the European Union.
“These awards are targeted to recognising journalists working for the mainstream media who have successfully adapted investigative approaches to the practice,” he said.