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Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Government Suspends Normal Relations with Channel 5 and Great Belize Productions
Public Advisory-Press Release - Government of Belize - Belmopan, 7th December, 2010. The Belizean public is hereby informed that, effective immediately, the Government of Belize is suspending normal relations with Channel 5 and Great Belize Productions.
The reasons for this are as follows:
1. Channel 5, the Ashcroft/Opposition Television Station, under its current owners and management, has wilfully and systematically violated the terms and conditions of its license under the Belize Broadcasting and Television Act which require that a station’s “news programs shall be broadcast in a professional, objective and impartial manner with a clear distinction between news reports on one hand and editorializing and commentaries on the other” (Clause 14), and that, “if in the process of editorializing of programs or otherwise the Licensee expresses any views or comments which may be considered uncomplimentary, detrimental or injurious to the character or interest of any person or body, he or she shall promptly provide such person or body on request a right of reply free of cost.”(Clause 15)
2. Channel 5 is the only local television station that has refused to air the government-produced video program, Belmopan Weekly. This is in clear violation of Clause 19 of the Belize Broadcasting & Television Act, Revised Edition 2000, Amended 2002, Revised Schedule of Terms and Conditions for On Air Television License, which unequivocally states, “The licensee shall provide to the government one hour per week broadcasting time, free of cost, for broadcasting public service messages and programs produced by or channelled through the Ministry of Information. The allocation of such time shall be determined by the Ministry of Information.”
3. The station has over the past two and a half years proceeded down a deliberate path to systematically undermine, not just the government, but the interest of the entire nation and its people. In the process, Channel 5 has wilfully sacrificed the established principles of objectivity, fair-play and balance in its news and other current affair programs.
4. Given the direction the station has taken in its news reporting and other programming, this government sees no value, purpose or justification in attempting to maintain with Channel 5 the kind of relationship it has sought to cultivate and nurture with all local media for the overall benefit and wellbeing of our nation and people.
The government’s suspension of normal relations with Channel 5 and Great Belize Productions means that, effective immediately, no government representative of any ministry or department will give any official individual interview or make any individual appearance on Channel 5.
The government re-iterates its continued policy of seeking an open and respectful relationship with all our local media, and stands ready to resume normal relations with Channel 5 and Great Belize Productions as soon as the station demonstrates a willingness to comply with the law and conform to the established standards and principles of fair and objective journalism and programming, as stipulated in the terms and conditions of its license under the Belize Broadcasting and Television Act.
The reasons for this are as follows:
1. Channel 5, the Ashcroft/Opposition Television Station, under its current owners and management, has wilfully and systematically violated the terms and conditions of its license under the Belize Broadcasting and Television Act which require that a station’s “news programs shall be broadcast in a professional, objective and impartial manner with a clear distinction between news reports on one hand and editorializing and commentaries on the other” (Clause 14), and that, “if in the process of editorializing of programs or otherwise the Licensee expresses any views or comments which may be considered uncomplimentary, detrimental or injurious to the character or interest of any person or body, he or she shall promptly provide such person or body on request a right of reply free of cost.”(Clause 15)
2. Channel 5 is the only local television station that has refused to air the government-produced video program, Belmopan Weekly. This is in clear violation of Clause 19 of the Belize Broadcasting & Television Act, Revised Edition 2000, Amended 2002, Revised Schedule of Terms and Conditions for On Air Television License, which unequivocally states, “The licensee shall provide to the government one hour per week broadcasting time, free of cost, for broadcasting public service messages and programs produced by or channelled through the Ministry of Information. The allocation of such time shall be determined by the Ministry of Information.”
3. The station has over the past two and a half years proceeded down a deliberate path to systematically undermine, not just the government, but the interest of the entire nation and its people. In the process, Channel 5 has wilfully sacrificed the established principles of objectivity, fair-play and balance in its news and other current affair programs.
4. Given the direction the station has taken in its news reporting and other programming, this government sees no value, purpose or justification in attempting to maintain with Channel 5 the kind of relationship it has sought to cultivate and nurture with all local media for the overall benefit and wellbeing of our nation and people.
The government’s suspension of normal relations with Channel 5 and Great Belize Productions means that, effective immediately, no government representative of any ministry or department will give any official individual interview or make any individual appearance on Channel 5.
The government re-iterates its continued policy of seeking an open and respectful relationship with all our local media, and stands ready to resume normal relations with Channel 5 and Great Belize Productions as soon as the station demonstrates a willingness to comply with the law and conform to the established standards and principles of fair and objective journalism and programming, as stipulated in the terms and conditions of its license under the Belize Broadcasting and Television Act.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The San Pedro Sun Takes a Vacation
SPSUN Editorial - July 8, 2010 -For the last several weeks the staff at The San Pedro Sun has agreed that we are long over-due for a vacation. Often blurry eyed and sleep deprived, the thought of a vacation has been the dangling carrot that has keep us inspired to get ‘er done. And no wonder we are feeling like we need a vacation, the last full week we had off was almost a year ago in August, 2009. Sure we have had our share of three day weekends and of course
Christmas brought a few days off at a time, but we are good and ready to spend a week doing anything but work.
Unfortunately a true week off is not a reality when it comes to news…as news never knows when to take a holiday. No matter how hard we might try to relax, our news “radar” is always on, and no matter how dedicated we are to properly relaxing we are equally dedicated to reporting the news. It’s in our blood and there’s no denying a breaking story when it happens.
Whatever it is that we chose to do to properly enjoy our time off let’s keep our fingers crossed that it will be a slow news week because it is pure torture for a reporter to sit back and watch news happen without getting involved! You can bet if we hear a screaming fire engine pass us while we are sunning on the beach sipping a cold one our camera-finger will be twitching and the urge to chase the story will pull at our vacation sensibilities. Hopefully the news will take a vacation with us next week and we can all enjoy a holiday!
Christmas brought a few days off at a time, but we are good and ready to spend a week doing anything but work.
Unfortunately a true week off is not a reality when it comes to news…as news never knows when to take a holiday. No matter how hard we might try to relax, our news “radar” is always on, and no matter how dedicated we are to properly relaxing we are equally dedicated to reporting the news. It’s in our blood and there’s no denying a breaking story when it happens.
Whatever it is that we chose to do to properly enjoy our time off let’s keep our fingers crossed that it will be a slow news week because it is pure torture for a reporter to sit back and watch news happen without getting involved! You can bet if we hear a screaming fire engine pass us while we are sunning on the beach sipping a cold one our camera-finger will be twitching and the urge to chase the story will pull at our vacation sensibilities. Hopefully the news will take a vacation with us next week and we can all enjoy a holiday!
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