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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

US envoy shares views on press freedom with local media |02 May 2013

US envoy shares views on press freedom with local media

Ms Villarosa and media persons exchanging views on press freedom

The Bois de Rose Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution and Intelligence Coordination Centre headquarters event was organised to mark World Press Freedom Day which falls tomorrow.

While all present felt there is more freedom to write what the print media feels necessary to bring to light, all editors said they are sometimes denied access to information ‘of national importance’ and regretted many government officials will give details on issues they are requested to explain only to or in the presence of the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation.

Interviews are delayed or cancelled in some cases when the SBC crew cannot make it to an event, thereby shutting out the public completely from valued information they could have benefitted from.

Ms Villarosa told the journalists that readers are usually the judge and determine whether and which newspaper to buy on the basis on how reliable they believe the information published is.
She reminded the media reps that newspapers are disappearing in the developed world as especially the young people prefer to read news items online.

This year’s UN theme for World Press Freedom Day is SAFE TO SPEAK: Securing Freedom Expression in all Media.
The world marks the day every May 3 focusing on the basic principles of press freedom, assessing  freedom level around the world while looking for ways of defending the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

It was recognised by the United Nations in 1993 and serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

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