PHOTO: Amb. Neil Bradley
By Festus Frazer, efgfrazerjr@gmail.com
The British Ambassador to Liberia has highlighted the significance of the independent media in the country, saying it serves as a platform to highlight the plight of minority groups.
Amb. Neil Bradley said it is vital that the media focus not only on issues in urban areas, but the rural communities as well. He reminded them that they “hold the mirror to Liberia” and admonished journalists always to always remain independent.
He was speaking at the opening of a two day training on Land Rights and Climate Change Reporting fellows organized by New Narratives.
Journalists, he said, represent minority groups and that they should at all times report unbiasedly. He praised New Narratives for its Climate Change and Environment Reporting project, saying they remain supportive of it.
“As you may know… land has been a source of conflict in Liberia. Therefore, the responsibility is on you as Journalists to report unbiased stories. You’re are the platform from which the voices of communities can be heard,” he said. He has at the same time called on Journalists to report their stories from multiple sources in order to be able to reach wider audience and inform decision makers to act swiftly
.Amb Bradley has meanwhile cautioning journalists relying on single sources, and instead report from multiple angles and to get those involved on single sources. Get the voices of those involved in a given story in order to better inform policy makers to act without delay,” Ambassador Bradley urged.
Also speaking via video link was, the head of New Narratives Prue Clarke, who assured the ambassador that fellows will do their best to fulfill what is expected of them during the course of the fellowship and beyond.
The New Narratives Land Rights and Climate Change reporting project took place in the wake of the just ended global meeting in Glasgow, UK, mainly centered on tackling climate change.