A permanent media code is desirable
Stabroek News
January 26, 2002

Dear Editor,

The beating of television station owner and talkshow host C. N Sharma must not be tolerated. It is downright distasteful. We may have our personal opinion of the things Mr. Sharma says or unearths on his programme, but this does not justify him being assaulted.

If he violates the ethical rules of journalism, these matters should be raised or dealt with in a court of law, as is the case all over the world, and as is being advocated in this country.

It is unfortunate that people would want to take the law in their own hands especially when it is assumed that it was somehow linked to the things he propagates. It is unfortunate too, that members of our society would prefer to put a lid on freedom of speech

or expression.

Now that we have a media-monitoring panel, I would expect that a proper code of conduct be tabled for the realisation of a proper media system in this country. I am not appreciative of some of the things Sharma says; however I do not advocate him being beaten up.

For the recent general elections a temporary code of conduct was drafted to ensure some amount of civility in the broadcasting arena over that period, to which most of the media operatives had signed, agreeing to follow these guidelines. We urgently need something of this sort, to influence the behaviour of journalists

and broadcasters today.

On the other side of the coin, we have our problems but we don't need one more to be added. And we don't need any protest action at this moment. I can recall the uncertainty and stagnation

that protest action led to in our country. I would be unable to say how others have taken these situations, but it has not helped my life in any way.

Yours faithfully,

Famous Richmond