Stabroek News: Promoting the Opposition agenda
THE PPP/C held its first rally for the 2011 elections last Sunday at Albion. Over 20,000 Guyanese and other well-wishers attended. The media was also well represented. The subsequent coverage was interesting. Of the four daily newspapers, only the Stabroek News didn’t carry a front page photograph of this mega event. There it was, the ruling party with its campaign launch, and the paper could not see the importance of carrying a leading picture.
For the first time in this country’s history, a sitting President and a Presidential Candidate spoke at the same rally. Prior to last Sunday, the sitting President was the Candidate. History therefore unfolded at Albion on October 2, 2011 when President Bharrat Jagdeo and the Presidential Candidate joined thousands to launch their party’s campaign. The fact that the two, given their current portfolios, stood on the same platform showed how far Guyana has moved constitutionally under the PPP/C Administration.
It was President Jagdeo who signed into law the term limits for the Presidency. The PNC constitution that the PPP/C inherited was designed to make its former rulers lifetime Head of State. The term limit for the presidency is just one of many changes that have led to constitutional reform. If it weren’t for the genuineness of the PPP/C for constitutional reform, then easily President Jagdeo could have been the candidate this time around. It was this historic feature that made the Albion rally all the more significant.
Also, it was the first time that the President was not the featured speaker at a PPP/C rally. Yet the Stabroek News saw no reason to have a front page photograph of that momentous occasion; an occasion when the baton was basically passed on. One can only conclude that the Stabroek News’ proclivity to deny significant coverage of the rally was deliberate, and in keeping with its anti-government position. Even the Kaieteur News, with its known anti-government stance, carried a photograph of the rally, showing the mammoth turnout.
Given the Stabroek News’ alliance with the Opposition, it was therefore not surprising that the paper carried a front-page photograph on Friday, October 7, 2011, of the protest with regard to the suspension of Channel 6. The wide-angled photograph showed Leader of the PNCR, Mr. Robert Corbin, and other anti-government activists at a rally (as captioned by the Stabroek News) at Stabroek Square. From Monday, October 3 – Friday, October 7, 2011, the Stabroek News carried a minimum of nine stories, plus one editorial, regarding the Channel Six suspension. This does not include letters.
It’s a clear indication of the position the paper has taken with regard to its support to Opposition elements. Of course, it’s a democratic country, and the Stabroek News is free to associate. But the newspaper is the first to lecture others on professional journalism. The prominence it has given to the suspension of Channel Six completely masks the real issues of the transgression of the station with regard to the slanderous, libellous and inciting content of Mr. Anthony Vieira’s commentary that was aired.
The Stabroek News did not pen an editorial that speaks to the dire consequences the said commentary could have had; it did not publish any article to enlighten the populace about the irresponsible behaviour of Mr. Vieira and Channel Six.
It was not the first time that the station has been suspended for similar transgression. Yet the Stabroek News gave so much prominence to it as against the history-making moments at Albion last Sunday. Again, it’s not surprising, for the paper has stuck steadfastly to its commitment to propagate the Opposition’s position.
Yet they will want Guyanese to believe differently. It’s just another example of a media entity which has become embedded with the Opposition for the election under a disguised alliance.