Gloudon urges media to fight for libel law reform

Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer

Veteran journalist Barbara Gloudon has challenged media practitioners to push the Government to give a timeline on when the review of the country's libel laws will be completed.

At the same time, Gloudon, a talk-show host, called out the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) for its delay in establishing the long-awaited media complaints council to police ethics and standards in the profession.

"We have the best intention in the world, but I don't think we are being urgent enough now. Time is going," she said.

Gloudon was speaking at a media breakfast at Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew yesterday to mark World Press Freedom Day.

"At what point do we decide we are really going to fight and fight for it fully, or are we going to continue waiting for the day when Massa give us a crown?" she asked.

"What can we do ... should we do to force the hand of those who, on the one hand, pay lip service to the value of getting the libel law readjusted, and on the other, show no haste in moving to a conclusion?" she added.

Parliament has already approved the report of a joint select committee, which examined the recommendations of the Hugh Small committee. The committee recommended several changes to the country's defamation laws.

Meanwhile, journalist Ingrid Brown underscored the importance of ethics and standards in the media, urging media practitioners to maintain the highest levels of integrity and professionalism.

She said the code of ethics recently promulgated by the PAJ was a step in the right direction, and she urged media managers to enforce the provisions.

"I also encourage my colleagues to adopt and abide by this code of ethics in order to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards," she said.