Tweya digs into media
Information minister Tjekero Tweya has admonished the media for 'spicing up' content and in the process, relaying the wrong information to the public.
Members of the media should refrain from “spicing up” story content and ought to stick to their mandate of obtaining information and communicating it correctly via technology to the nation, says information minister Tjekero Tweya.
“Refrain from spicing up information. Sometimes this can spoil the message. Rather convey information to educate and inform. Do not confuse or mislead. Do the right thing and execute your mandate with dignity and respect because the whole of Namibia relies on receiving correctly relayed information,” he said.
According to the minister, journalists need a mental change and should have a positive narrative about the country and SADC.
“Be appreciative of your own environment and country. Negative reports by negative Namibians turn out to be viewed foolishly by the rest of the world,” he told journalists attending the launch of the VEYA ICT office in Walvis Bay on Friday.
Tweya recalled that ITC ministers from SADC recently met in Kwa-Zulu Natal South Africa and discussed how to pave the way and implement a summit decision that the 300 million SADC citizens should get correctly conveyed messages from governments in order to contribute towards a better region.
“It is a challenge that not everybody has access to information. Many citizens are clueless and this hampers unity. Those with access to the provision of broadband and social media services recognise the private sector, and instead of playing a positive role, have become a barrier due to greediness and turned such services into expensive and unaffordable luxuries. High tariffs are an obstacle to the provision of access of information in SADC. Regional integration cannot be achieved and it's too expensive to do business due to this.”
The minister said that this issue would be addressed by not telling service providers to lower their rates but by informing and showing them that it's better for their businesses to make good business with 300 million instead of 50 million persons.
OTIS FINCK
“Refrain from spicing up information. Sometimes this can spoil the message. Rather convey information to educate and inform. Do not confuse or mislead. Do the right thing and execute your mandate with dignity and respect because the whole of Namibia relies on receiving correctly relayed information,” he said.
According to the minister, journalists need a mental change and should have a positive narrative about the country and SADC.
“Be appreciative of your own environment and country. Negative reports by negative Namibians turn out to be viewed foolishly by the rest of the world,” he told journalists attending the launch of the VEYA ICT office in Walvis Bay on Friday.
Tweya recalled that ITC ministers from SADC recently met in Kwa-Zulu Natal South Africa and discussed how to pave the way and implement a summit decision that the 300 million SADC citizens should get correctly conveyed messages from governments in order to contribute towards a better region.
“It is a challenge that not everybody has access to information. Many citizens are clueless and this hampers unity. Those with access to the provision of broadband and social media services recognise the private sector, and instead of playing a positive role, have become a barrier due to greediness and turned such services into expensive and unaffordable luxuries. High tariffs are an obstacle to the provision of access of information in SADC. Regional integration cannot be achieved and it's too expensive to do business due to this.”
The minister said that this issue would be addressed by not telling service providers to lower their rates but by informing and showing them that it's better for their businesses to make good business with 300 million instead of 50 million persons.
OTIS FINCK
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article