Media freedom is everyone’s freedom

FIRST, I would like to thank the two daily newspapers for the independent and uncompromising reporting of current affairs in politics, economics and socio-economic development of Papua New Guinea.
In a democratic system of government like we currently have in Papua New Guinea, the media plays an important role in disseminating information to the wider audience through various media platforms using print material, audio and visual and digital media.
Without such information, there will be no such thing as a democracy or democratic freedom as we know today.
Having said that, I would like to inform and ask all of us who are regular users of these media platforms to be careful of what you post on public media.
The social media digital platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Linked-in and others, also play a vital role in disseminating information to the wider audience.
Unlike the two daily newspapers, social media is open to any views and, at times, inundated with uncontrolled speculative information on wider issues.
Thus, the two dailies reserve their right to preserve their integrity and maintained high moral and ethical standards in publishing information and data for public consumption.
Therefore, any attack on the two daily newspapers by social media posters is uncalled for because these two print media platforms are the only trusted and reliable information source we have in Papua New Guinea.
Of course, human errors do occur in the course of their data collection, analysing and reporting but are always prompt in response to retract and apologise on unintentional mistaken information published.
Media freedom is directly linked to democratic freedom because, without information, you cannot understand and respond appropriately to impending issues of common good.

Philip Ukuni