NewsWhore
07-11-2006, 03:10 PM
Dominican journalism is in crisis because there is widespread self-censorship, the media is concentrated in few hands, and never before has the government employed so many journalists who also work in the media, according to Juan Bolivar Diaz, director of Teleantillas news service. He was taking part in a debate during the Lideres TV program produced by Orlando Jorge Mera, who is also secretary general of the PRD opposition party. Fausto Rosario Adames, director of Clave and Clave Digital, agreed that self-censorship exists, and added that this is also promoted by the political parties and the media owners themselves. Diaz explained many media owners chose to avoid getting involved in controversial topics. Diaz feels if they do not want to deal with controversial topics, they should not be in the media business.
Diaz recalls that the banking collapses had great repercussions in the media because of the concentration of media in the hands of banking enterprises - collapsed Baninter, Bancredito. Banco Popular was another media owner, with El Caribe newspaper, that later changed hands.
Diaz explained that the fact that the government has so many journalists on its payroll has had a major effect on the independence of the press regarding government.
In his opinion, to rescue the credibility of the press, the civil society or an academic institution could carry out an audit.
Journalist Huchi Lora, director of El Dia TV show, said that the media is under public scrutiny and not all media are the same. In his opinion, there are independent media, but there are others that serve the interest of particular groups or a person.
Fausto Adames, director of Clave Digital, feels that the country needs to improve the training of journalists, look into ethics, new technologies and what is happening with the transformations brought by the Internet.
Recently, CNN journalist Patricia Janot visited the DR and was critical of media whose sister companies are major recipients of government contracts, stating this is a damper on independence.
Link To Original Article (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)
Diaz recalls that the banking collapses had great repercussions in the media because of the concentration of media in the hands of banking enterprises - collapsed Baninter, Bancredito. Banco Popular was another media owner, with El Caribe newspaper, that later changed hands.
Diaz explained that the fact that the government has so many journalists on its payroll has had a major effect on the independence of the press regarding government.
In his opinion, to rescue the credibility of the press, the civil society or an academic institution could carry out an audit.
Journalist Huchi Lora, director of El Dia TV show, said that the media is under public scrutiny and not all media are the same. In his opinion, there are independent media, but there are others that serve the interest of particular groups or a person.
Fausto Adames, director of Clave Digital, feels that the country needs to improve the training of journalists, look into ethics, new technologies and what is happening with the transformations brought by the Internet.
Recently, CNN journalist Patricia Janot visited the DR and was critical of media whose sister companies are major recipients of government contracts, stating this is a damper on independence.
Link To Original Article (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)