GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Clement Rohee yesterday said the ongoing frequency of media infractions in Guyana necessitates the establishment of a regulatory body for the media in a manner much faster than one could have imagined. 

At the party’s weekly news conference at Freedom House, in Georgetown, Rohee said factions of the media have strayed from the fundamentals of journalistic norms and practices and are providing “political fodder” for the political opposition.
“These growing infractions bordering on libel, slander, distortions and character assassination by sections of the media, have in turn contributed to the lowering of our cultural standards.”
As such, he said the PPP reiterates its call for the relevant authorities to examine the establishment of a media regulatory body to curb the excesses and to make it more accountable, objective and responsible.
“It is wrong that every other institution is expected to function utilising the ideals of professional conduct guided by specific norms and practices, while the media escapes [sic] scrutiny due to the absence of a formal mechanism to judge their performance and to impose sanctions in cases where there are infractions.
“While the media plays an important role in society, this should never be mistaken to mean it can do as it wishes without inviting appropriate criticisms and sanctions. The PPP is therefore encouraging the relevant authority to carefully examine this matter and to swiftly move to establish a regulatory body for the media in Guyana,” Rohee said.

(By Telesha Ramnarine)