Monitoring Report from the Monitoring, Research & Projects Unit of the IMC against A-Z Newspaper dated Friday, 12th August 2022 titled: “Terrorism…against the state…ECOWAS CALLS FOR SPEEDY INVESTIGATIONS”.
One hearing session was conducted on this matter. During the hearing, the Acting Chairman Commissioner Mustapha M K Sesay welcomed James Kamara Manneh, who identified himself as Acting Editor of A-Z Newspaper, to the hearing. After a brief introduction by all present, the Acting Chairman informed James Kamara Manneh, that he was invited in connection with a monitoring report received from the IMC Monitoring, Research and Projects Unit regarding their publication of Friday, 12th August, 2022 titled: “Terrorism …against the state…ECOWAS CALLS FOR SPEEDY INVESTIGATIONS”.
Com. Sesay started off by asking the Acting Editor what was his intention of his publication. The Acting Editor replied that he wanted the public to know exactly what happened on that day as graphically as possible.
Asked about the source/s of the images, he said he did not take the shots directly, but sourced them from different social media platforms. The attention of the Acting Editor was drawn to Section 1 paragraph 11 of the Media Code of Practice dealing with intrusion into grief and shock.
James Kamara Manneh was also asked whether the photographs that he published truly represented what happened during the August 10 demonstration. He said ‘yes’ the images truly represented what happened, and that was why he published them for the public to know. He explained that he sent two of his reporters out to do a live coverage of the events on that day. He said the reporters informed him that they saw the demonstrators carrying guns, sticks, stones, knives, etc on that day. He said however the reporters were unable ‘to take effective pictures’ as they were attacked. He said the reporters took videos which they still have on their website.
The Acting Editor, James Kamara Manneh however, stated that he regretted using the images of corpse with blood oozing out of them and apologised for that. He was again asked whether if any of his relatives were among the dead bodies he published, whether that would have added to his grief. To this he replied that as long as the person’s identity was concealed, he will not feel bad about it. When asked whether he was aware that he should be sensitive and use discretion to determine whether or not to publish such images, he said he was not aware.
The Acting Editor was also asked whether he can confirm that the events of August 10 were an act of terrorism as their publication claimed, he said they borrowed the statement from politicians that the event on that day was an act of terrorism.
Committee’s findings and Recommendations
Findings:
During deliberations, the Editor informed the Committee that they were not aware that they should exercise discretion and sensitivity as provided in the Media Code of Practice when dealing with such sensitive and ghastly images.
The Committee further noted that the newspaper was insensitive to horror and grief in their publication when they published gory and gruesome images.
The Newspaper was also unable to confirm or justify whether the incidents of August 10 were acts of terrorism as published.
Recommendations:
The Board of the Independent Media Commission at its meeting held on Wednesday 26th October 2022, fully endorsed the recommendations of the Complaints Committee as follows:
- That a fine of NLe 500.00 (Five Hundred New Leones) be levied on A to Z Newspaper for the breach of Section 11 page 13 of the Media Code of Practice dealing with intrusion into grief and shock which states:
“In cases involving grief or shock, enquiries must be carried out and approaches made with sympathy and discretion. Publications must be handled sensitively at such at such times, but this should not be interpreted as restricting the right to report judicial proceedings.”
