Monday, May 4, 2009

What i think about Frontpage Africa, and their boycott of the Liberian President.......

President Sirleaf

Once a very big fan of the popular Liberian news website Frontpage Africa,
i now find myself looking more and more to alternative sources for news about Liberia.
Not only do i believe that they slander and spew lies at ever chance they get about the President, i also believe that their so-called news could incite violence,which is counter productive to what the President is trying to achieve.
Today they said In observance of World Press Freedom Day over the weekend, it has begun a coverage boycott of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 's Executive Mansion and the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and tourism.
FrontPage Africa Publisher and Editor Rodney Sieh told some international media the boycott was necessary because the Sirleaf government has either denied or ignored repeated requests for accreditation to weekly news briefings or presidential press conferences.
He went on to say "For some time, our website has been very pro-active, aggressive in terms of exposing corruption and ills in the Liberian society. And apparently some forces in the government have felt that we are anti-government, and they have continuously labeled us as anti-government forces. Last week, the president made a trip to Gbarnga, Bong County, and one of our reporters tried to get on the bus and he was rejected. And he had to get on the bus taking the police escort to go to Gbarnga. Even with all that, we still manage to continue publishing the Executive Mansion press releases, the ministry of information presses. But we feel that if they want to control what we publish, and they will not allow us access to the Executive Mansion press conferences and news conferences and stuff like that, we might as well not carry anything from them," he said.

What the hell is this guy really talking about? Everyone know that today Liberia boast one of the freest press in West Africa, if not the whole African continent,What do they really want the president to do? give them special passes whenever they demand it?, Why, because they are an internet news site based in the United States? Why make issues out of noting?
If this is what is passing for journalism these days, then our press is really in a sorry state.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Front page is just another "wanna be" intellectual news organization who do not have a clue. They are confused. "Rag"/ tabloid paper a la Enquirer or Washington Post. Liberians deserve better.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
alex sieh said...

some individuals are claiming to be veteran playsers of the liberian lone team team and are prepared to return and make a difference on that team at this time where they have not proven anything better overseas. what can the liberian people see to be convinced. look, liberians are not just figureminded, these guy must justified their inclusion and i want the deputy mininster of defence to understand.
thanks
alex sieh
Texas, USA