Bribes in Samoa? P.M’s Murdoch dig

The corrupt and dirty tactics, which led to the abrupt closure* of the 160-year-old News of the World newspaper in the United Kingdom, are also being used in Samoa.

The sensational claim was made Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, in Parliament on Friday. As the Minister responsible for the Media Council Bill 2014, he was responding to questions from the floor about why the Bill was necessary when he got stuck into Murdoch.

“The same thing done by Murdoch is also being done in Samoa in terms of collecting information,” Tuilaepa said, adding that media mogul Rupert Murdoch has become a “billionaire because of many false stories in his newspaper.”

The Prime Minister claimed that money is being used to collect information in Samoa. Tuilaepa did not give details about which media organisation he was referring to and on which occasion money is used to collect information.

But he said this is why a Code of Practise is extremely important for the Media - as well as a Council - to monitor standards and professional developments.

The Bill establishes the Journalists Association of Samoa (J.A.W.S) “to provide for the development, application and enforcement of a code of practice relating to the news media, and to promote and enhance professional journalism, and for related purposes.”

According to the Bill, the Media Council exists to “promote professional journalism and integrity in the news media, while observing the fundamental rights under Part II of the Constitution.”

“Mr. Speaker, this Bill might be new for us in Samoa but its not new to overseas countries like New Zealand and Australia who were pioneers in such developments. They too came up with guidelines to stop the abuse of media freedom by their media people,” he said.

Such abuse, Tuilaepa said, breeds the “high-minded mentality that the media can topple governments.

“The H.R.P.P understands this very well because this is the behaviour we’ve seen for 32 years since the H.R.P.P came into power. But such reporting has never been able to persuade the people of this country.”

According to Tuilaepa, Samoa must learn from what has happened in the past. He then referred to two international examples of poor media ethics.

The first was legal action taken by his government against TVNZ and journalist Barbara Dreaver** over a One News story which wrongly conveyed that Samoa was “awash with guns and drugs.”

In the end, the New Zealand Broadcasting Standards Authority fined TVNZ $5,000.

“This woman was fined by a huge amount,” Tuilaepa said. “It was proven that the story she wrote was a lie and their Council fined her.”

The second example was the News of the World in London.

“Mr. Speakers, it wasn’t so long ago that the News of the World was closed because of what had happened,” he said.

“The newspaper was 160 years old, owned by billionaire Murdoch, he was a billionaire because of many false stories that were done in his newspaper.

“It was closed because of dirty and corrupt ways his writers used to fraudulently collect information in relation to a young girl who was kidnapped and killed by terrorists.

“The writers also used corrupt ways to steal emails so they could write their sensational stories which were appealing to the eyes so people could buy more newspapers, and in the process making money from the life of this young girl.”

Tuilaepa conceded that the media indeed was a powerful tool.

But when the power it wields is abused, it has severe ramifications. One such example he pointed to was “character assassination.”

“Legally, ruining someone’s character through an incorrect story deliberately written with the knowledge that it is wrong, is worse than murder,” he said.

“Why? With murder, we will not see the dead person again because his body has disappeared but with character assassination, Mr. Speaker, the person will live with the shame until the day his Maker calls. Meantime, he is miserable together with his family, spouse, children and village.”

Prime Minister Tuilaepa said the Media Council Bill 2014 is a very important bill because it affects fundamental rights to express and disseminate information without being restricted.

He noted that there had been many valuable and deep insights expressed by Members of Parliament about the Bill. Such statements reflected on the notion that the media is a cornerstone of democracy “both as a matter public record as well as in its watchdog role.”

“I note that all statements in the House stressed the importance of the role of the media. This is not a secret.

“The only concern highlighted in all the statements was the need to report the truth and to give all sides affected an opportunity to respond so that stories are not one-sided.

One-sided stories, Tuilaepa said, cause trouble.

“This is not what the leader of this country wants,” he said, referring to himself. “We don’t want to incite trouble because of a journalist or a gossip-monger’s inability to prepare his work well.

“Consider how clear and simple the law is. The heart of it is to ensue stories are factual and balanced, that’s what the law is about.

“But to have it (Media Council Bill) twisted, twisted and twisted some more, it reflects the true colours (of the person).

“In other words, whoever opposes this law, he is the chief of speaking evil about other people, a trouble maker, likes to spread misleading information and a liar.

“We have all read Court rulings about incorrect reporting. What about the numerous apologies on the newspapers and other media outlets, reflecting their inefficiency?

“How many families have been embarrassed by stories that are unfounded?

How many churches, leaders of churches, Reverends, villages and families who have been embarrassed by the abuse and the reckless use of media freedom?”

The Media Council Bill is the answer, Tuilaepa argued.

“This why this law has been introduced, to put in place a guideline (so that people it covers) reach the standards required for the work of the media. That is the only way to improve the professional standards in journalism in Samoa, professionalism and integrity of the highest order.”

The Prime Minister also took the opportunity address claims about the about government interfering with the media’s work.

“These (claims) are extremely weak,” he said. “Firstly, who appoints the Membership of the Association? The answer is the Association of journalists. Secondly, who appoints the Council? It’s the Journalists Association.

“So it’s the media instructing their own members.”

Tuilaepa also defended the government’s move to bring J.A.W.S under the Bill.

“J.A.W.S and the Council have to go hand in hand because they work hand-in-hand to implement the law. The Association plays a very important role in operating the Council to strengthen the professionalism of the media.”

The role of the J.A.W.S late President, Uale Papali’i Taimalelagi was also explained.

“It was an appointment made by the Association,” Tuilaepa said. “I noted (from remarks in Parliament) that Uale was used as a front while a knife was hidden by arguing that Uale was a government person.

“Mr. Speaker, the government had no business in appointing Uale to the Presidency, it was done (by J.A.W.S) during their meetings.”

As for questions about the Council being funded by the government, Tuilaepa said these were irrelevant.

“How many times has the Journalists Association asked the government for financial assistance? These came to me directly and assistance was granted, especially when they hosted some major international meetings.

“This has never interfered with their freedom to say anything against me and Cabinet. It hasn’t stopped it. Why should this (Council) be different?”

Tuilaepa then had a go at the leader of the Opposition, Palusalue Fa’apo II.

“Somebody said that a lot of money is being used for the salary of the leader of the opposition and yet for all that he has only become worse.”

When Palusalue objected, the Speaker of Parliament, La’auli Leuatea Polata’ivao, declined.

Back of the floor, Tuilaepa said: “The goal of government’s assistance is to ensure this important Council doesn’t disappear quickly because of the lack of finances.”

Tuilaepa pointed out that the Media industry has also requested the financial assistance, which shows just how weak they are financially.

The Media Council Bill is now with the Select Parliamentary Committee for further scrutiny and for public submissions.

The Committee will have to report back to Parliament for the third and final reading. Parliament has been adjourned until 16 December.