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The leadership of the People's National Party (PNP) says it is willing to meet with media bosses to discuss their concerns about recent comments by the Party President, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.
Tuesday the Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ) called for a meeting with the General Secretaries of the two main political parties as well as the Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair.
The MAJ said the request was in response to statements made by the leadership of both parties against media entities.
PNP General Secretary Donald Buchanan told RJR News Tuesday night that he is ready to hold talks with the executive of the MAJ as soon as a meeting can be arranged.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the MAJ said it wants the meeting in order to ease tension between both sides.
It expressed particular concern about statements of bias and fraud against the media and the recent attack on a car belonging to a media house.
The Association is worried that these incidents will incite violence against the media and could pose a threat to press freedom.
At a regular MAJ meeting last week, several media bosses expressed concern about the increasing hostile climate being created as a result of inflammatory statements.
The MAJ says its Secretariat stands ready to facilitate discussion on any matter of concern between political parties, a media entity or the industry as a whole.
In the meantime, the Jamaica Labour Party is accusing the Prime Minister of infringing on the rights of the media by making scurrilous statements on the handling of reports on the election campaign.
Tuesday night General Secretary Karl Samuda took Mrs. Simpson-Miller to task for her recent pronouncements regarding the media:
“It is in the judgement of the media to determine exactly what they view as news and relevant news. If it’s not relevant it’s simply not covered. And in the view of those who determine that, we do not wish to infringe on the rights of the media to determine what, in their view, constitutes news and what is sheer propaganda,” he said.
Tuesday the Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ) called for a meeting with the General Secretaries of the two main political parties as well as the Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair.
The MAJ said the request was in response to statements made by the leadership of both parties against media entities.
PNP General Secretary Donald Buchanan told RJR News Tuesday night that he is ready to hold talks with the executive of the MAJ as soon as a meeting can be arranged.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the MAJ said it wants the meeting in order to ease tension between both sides.
It expressed particular concern about statements of bias and fraud against the media and the recent attack on a car belonging to a media house.
The Association is worried that these incidents will incite violence against the media and could pose a threat to press freedom.
At a regular MAJ meeting last week, several media bosses expressed concern about the increasing hostile climate being created as a result of inflammatory statements.
The MAJ says its Secretariat stands ready to facilitate discussion on any matter of concern between political parties, a media entity or the industry as a whole.
In the meantime, the Jamaica Labour Party is accusing the Prime Minister of infringing on the rights of the media by making scurrilous statements on the handling of reports on the election campaign.
Tuesday night General Secretary Karl Samuda took Mrs. Simpson-Miller to task for her recent pronouncements regarding the media:
“It is in the judgement of the media to determine exactly what they view as news and relevant news. If it’s not relevant it’s simply not covered. And in the view of those who determine that, we do not wish to infringe on the rights of the media to determine what, in their view, constitutes news and what is sheer propaganda,” he said.
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