Your front page article headlined “Gagged: Leaked media rules emerge”, published in the Sunday Samoa Observer dated 7 December, requires clarification and correction.
The draft government media protocol is being designed to help the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, and Chief Executive Officers better address issues and inquiries raised by the media. It is intended to enhance government’s media engagement and information dissemination to the general public.
The draft protocol, under no circumstance, attempts to gag the media as implied by your provoking and misleading headline. This has been taken out of context and needs to be corrected.
The media is free to request exclusive interviews with the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers outside of weekly press conferences. The opportunity to ask questions at government’s weekly press conferences hosted by the Prime Minister remains open as per standing policy.
In the draft media protocol, there is a proposed condition for media questions to be submitted 24 hours prior to press conferences. This allows the host to prepare responses on whole-of-government issues and on questions specific to a relevant sector, to ensure details are available and ready before hosting a press conference. This is a crucial component of government’s efforts to release factual information.
Perhaps the article’s author has never attended a government-hosted press conference and has little experience with the timeframe available to reporters, and the fairness that should be afforded to government leaders to respond to media questions.
That is why we encourage the media fraternity to request exclusive interviews and not rely solely on press conferences. If granted, the Press Secretariat will record these interviews for archival purposes, as an assurance for fair and factual reporting.
From past experiences, some media outlets that were afforded exclusive interviews took advantage of such access to suit their ulterior motives, resulting in articles loaded with misconstrued and unsubstantiated claims.
The Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) was consulted on this protocol, and the draft was sent to them for comments last month. JAWS plays an important role in leading the work of the media in Samoa. Its role in bringing together the media sector and enhancing its interface with government is equally important. The draft protocol gives JAWS the opportunity to help coordinate local media working together with the government’s Press Secretariat.
The document remains in draft form to date.
Ma le fa’aaloalo tele
Government Press Secretariat
Copied:
Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt
Prime Minister of Samoa
Agafili Tomaimanō Shem Leo
CEO – Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
