The IMC Complaints Committee Conducts Hearing on Three (3) Complaints before the Commission.
PRESS RELEASE
The IMC Complaints Committee Conducts Hearing on Three (3) Complaints before the Commission.
The Complaints Committee of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) on Tuesday 14th February, 2023 held hearings on three (3) matters before the Commission as follows:
Monitoring Report against the Exclusive Newspaper.
In this matter, the Monitoring Unit of the Commission presented the alleged breach before the Committee in the presence of the respondent newspaper (Exclusive) represented by the Editor. The Chairman and Members of the Complaint Committee warned the editor in stronger terms to refrain from publishing stories that have the propensity to provoke public disorder. The Committee advised him to handle with care sensational and inflammatory stories that are likely to compromise the peace and stability of the country.
Monitoring Unit Vs the Exclusive and Night Watch Newspapers
In these matters held simultaneously, the Monitoring Unit of the Commission presented a monitoring report that observed unethical and unprofessional Headlines carried by the two newspapers on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th March 2023. The Editor of The Exclusive Newspaper and Managing Editor of Night Watch Newspaper were asked for their reasons for publishing such captions. The Editor for the Exclusive Newspaper said he was blowing an alarm to on both the ruling and main opposition parties to realize that their actions if not well guided will result to chaos.
The Managing Editor of Nightwatch Newspaper said he was quoting an opposition member, whom he refused to identify when asked by the Committee, in the guise of protecting his source.
The Chairman and Members of the Complaint Committee warned the Managing Editor of Nightwatch Newspaper in stronger terms to refrain from publishing stories that have the propensity to provoke public disorder, especially in the period leading to the 2023 multi-tier elections.
- Shankerdas & Sons Vs Heroes Newspaper
In the matter between G. Shankerdas & Sons against Heroes Newspaper, the Editor did not appear for the hearing; and cumulatively, he had failed to appear on two consecutive hearings; whiles the Complainant had appeared in all hearings.
The Committee had deliberated the matter and will forward its finding and recommendations to the Board for ruling.
Khalil Kallon:
Executive Secretary
