Media should hold officials accountable, says US rep

THE media’s role is to hold officials accountable in both the private and public sector, according to the US Embassy public affairs officer Beverly Thacker.
Thacker, a former journalist, told the University of Papua New Guinea journalism students, that media was an important accountability mechanism that raises issues like corruption, incompetence and safety.
Thacker was speaking at the International Media Freedom Day celebration at the University of Papua New Guinea yesterday.
She also urged journalists to report factually and honestly and in a balanced and objective manner.
“It is your job as journalists to stick to the facts, whether or not you agree with them,” she said.
“Presenting both sides of the story doesn’t mean presenting the truth and someone’s opinion but the facts of a balanced story.”
Another challenge for the media is dealing with fake news which seems to be everything that those complaining disagree with no matter how well it is researched.
Thacker said the internet is making way easier for people to find information and also filter that information.
She said people these days set their internet browsers so that they only hear and read the news they want to.
“Where as in the past, when there were three major TV stations and a couple of newspapers then everyone saw all of the news,” Thacker said.
“That is one challenge the new media has brought due to technology trend.