Media ranking is ‘cold comfort’
Media analysts say Namibia’s ranking as the African country with the highest level of press freedom is no reason for complacency.
OGONE TLHAGE
The government has been encouraged to make concerted efforts to improve access to information if Namibia is to keep its position as the country with the freest press on the African continent.
Namibia, which until last year had been ranked number one, last year lost its position to Ghana as the country with the freest press only to regain it recently according to the World Press Freedom Index.
Namibia is ranked 23rd globally, beating countries such as England, France and the United States of America.
Media commentators who spoke to Namibian Sun welcomed Namibia’s improvement in the ranking but warned against complacency and urged the government to improve access to information.
The editor of The Namibian newspaper, Tangeni Amupadhi, said while he welcomed Namibia moving up one position, this was not because of efforts the government had made but rather because media freedom had deteriorated in Ghana, which was ranked number one on the continent last year.
“If you look at the commentary made in the report, it is not because Namibia has done anything to improve its position. We need a concerted effort to improve access to information. We need to see our state organs opening up information to not only journalists but the general public,” Amupadhi said.
“We need a genuine effort and not just lip service,” he added.
“I believe our rating should not place us in a state of complacency, I believe it is cold comfort,” Amupadhi added.
The coordinator of the Namibia Media Trust, Zoe Titus, echoed Amupadhi’s sentiments, saying that there was a need to improve access to information, which she felt could improve Namibia’s ranking.
She added that while Namibia was recognised as the country with the freest press, there was a time when Namibia was ranked 17th globally, highlighting the possibility of further improving media freedom.
“What has happened is that Namibia has been overtaken by other countries. The challenge now is to push our global ranking; that is important to us,” Titus said.
Frederico Links, research associate at the Institute of Public Policy Research, welcomed the news and said that Namibia should guard against sliding down the ranking again.
According to him, Namibia has quite a long way to go in terms of improving media freedom.
“Africa is not a shining example of where media freedom is guaranteed. We should continue to be a beacon of hope for other countries on the continent,” Links said.
President Hage Geingob said his government would continue protecting media freedom.
“The media plays a pivotal role in shining light on processes, systems and institutions in a democracy, and should view itself as an integral component of our governance architecture. As long as our electorate put us here, our government will guarantee freedom of the Fourth Estate, which plays a constructive role in the Namibian house,” Geingob said.
The Access to Information Bill is expected to be tabled in the National Assembly this year.
The government has been encouraged to make concerted efforts to improve access to information if Namibia is to keep its position as the country with the freest press on the African continent.
Namibia, which until last year had been ranked number one, last year lost its position to Ghana as the country with the freest press only to regain it recently according to the World Press Freedom Index.
Namibia is ranked 23rd globally, beating countries such as England, France and the United States of America.
Media commentators who spoke to Namibian Sun welcomed Namibia’s improvement in the ranking but warned against complacency and urged the government to improve access to information.
The editor of The Namibian newspaper, Tangeni Amupadhi, said while he welcomed Namibia moving up one position, this was not because of efforts the government had made but rather because media freedom had deteriorated in Ghana, which was ranked number one on the continent last year.
“If you look at the commentary made in the report, it is not because Namibia has done anything to improve its position. We need a concerted effort to improve access to information. We need to see our state organs opening up information to not only journalists but the general public,” Amupadhi said.
“We need a genuine effort and not just lip service,” he added.
“I believe our rating should not place us in a state of complacency, I believe it is cold comfort,” Amupadhi added.
The coordinator of the Namibia Media Trust, Zoe Titus, echoed Amupadhi’s sentiments, saying that there was a need to improve access to information, which she felt could improve Namibia’s ranking.
She added that while Namibia was recognised as the country with the freest press, there was a time when Namibia was ranked 17th globally, highlighting the possibility of further improving media freedom.
“What has happened is that Namibia has been overtaken by other countries. The challenge now is to push our global ranking; that is important to us,” Titus said.
Frederico Links, research associate at the Institute of Public Policy Research, welcomed the news and said that Namibia should guard against sliding down the ranking again.
According to him, Namibia has quite a long way to go in terms of improving media freedom.
“Africa is not a shining example of where media freedom is guaranteed. We should continue to be a beacon of hope for other countries on the continent,” Links said.
President Hage Geingob said his government would continue protecting media freedom.
“The media plays a pivotal role in shining light on processes, systems and institutions in a democracy, and should view itself as an integral component of our governance architecture. As long as our electorate put us here, our government will guarantee freedom of the Fourth Estate, which plays a constructive role in the Namibian house,” Geingob said.
The Access to Information Bill is expected to be tabled in the National Assembly this year.
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