Journalists flag Samoa’s draft media protocol

The bill would require background checks on journalists and mandatory approval of questions during press briefings

Originally published on Global Voices

A draft government protocol for journalists covering press conferences has raised concerns that it could restrict the work of media in the Pacific island nation of Samoa.

The 19-page draft guidelines titled “Government Media Protocol” would require background checks on the political affiliations of journalists and the approval of questions to be raised during press briefings. The questions must be submitted at least 24 hours before the event. The document leaked in early December also states that the “government reserves the right to keep a copy of the interview for release should any inaccuracies arise.”

Samoa Observer, the country’s only daily newspaper, said in an editorial that the new rules would undermine media freedom and democracy.

The government’s stand on media freedom and proposed media policies have put transparency and accountability on their deathbeds. It seems that the government is shutting down all avenues to remain transparent. Why does a government do that when there is nothing to hide?

It is a clear attempt to silence scrutiny and a serious decline in Samoa’s democratic standards. Democracy weakens not through a single dramatic event, but through a series of actions that slowly erode transparency and silence independent voices.

Last November, the country’s prime minister banned the Samoa Observer from attending his weekly press conferences over the paper’s alleged unfair reporting. Local and regional media groups criticized the ban as they urged the new prime minister to uphold press freedom.

But authorities denied that they are seeking to suppress the media. The Government Press Secretariat has called out the Samoa Observer over an article about the media protocol titled “Gagged: Leaked media rules emerge.”

It is intended to enhance government’s media engagement and information dissemination to the general public.

The draft protocol under no circumstance attempts to gag the media as implied by your provoking and misleading headline. This is blown out of context, and needs to be corrected.

The media is free to request for exclusive interviews with the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers outside of weekly press conferences. The opportunity to ask questions at government’s weekly press conferences hosted by the Prime Minister remains open as per standing policy.

It added that media groups, including the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS), will be consulted before finalizing the new guidelines.

In an interview with RNZ News, JAWS member Galumalemana Autagavaia Tipi said several journalists question the need to probe the political backgrounds of reporters.

“They are quite concerned about the government looking into the political background of each media,” he said. “I don't think that’s [the government’s] job… to scrutinize the political affiliations of the media.”

Global media watchdog the International Federation of Journalists warned that the guidelines could gravely affect media operations.

“The draft protocol, in its current form, imposes serious restrictions on Samoa’s journalists to be able to report independently and critically, with a concerning impact on press freedom.”