Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 09, 2014 News
– as Rights of the Child Commission joins in condemnation
The Rights of the Child Commission (RCCC) has joined in the condemnation of the publication in the Guyana Chronicle
newspaper of photographs of students of a prominent high school in the city engaging in sexual activity.
The condemnation comes a day after the Child Care and Protection Agency of the Ministry of Human services criticised the newspaper for its action.
It also comes at a time when the newspaper through its General Manager Michael Gordon expressed sincere apology for the ill-advised publication.
The Rights of the Child Commission in a statement said that it finds it disturbing that the newspaper displayed the children (teenagers) engaging in an apparent sexual act.
The Commission noted that it is not usual that such photos of adults are published; hence questions arise as to the alacrity on the part of the state owned news agency to do so in relation to children.
“Not only is this publication alarming, it demonstrates a blatant disregard for the standard which states that regardless of the circumstances, revelation of children’s identity should not take place since they are minors,” the RCC said.
The body said it is looking forward to a commitment from the Chronicle and all media houses, to honour the boundaries of tasteful journalism, and moreso, respect the sensitive nature of the situation, and not use the apparent lack of judgment of children as a means to further increase subscription.
The RCC reminded that Article 3 of the UNCRC emphasizes that adults should do what is best for children and that when adults make decisions, they should think how these decisions will affect the children.
And when contacted yesterday the newspaper’s General Manager acknowledged that poor editorial judgment was exercised in allowing the publication of the photographs which appeared on the front page as well as on the inside pages.
“When I saw it, I was flabbergasted to say the least,” he said.
He said that following the publication of the photos, he summoned the editorial team, and the Editor in Chief Mark Ramotar was written to.
“He was first and foremost asked to explain how such a significant breach in our editorial policy could have occurred, …because neither the Management or the Board of Directors support the publication, and it has attracted the disgust of both the Management and the Board,” Gordon told this newspaper.
He assured that the company is dealing with the issue administratively, but declined to disclose the specific action being taken; whether anybody will be sent home.
“We haven’t crossed that bridge as yet,” he said.
“It sets us in bad light and the Board and Management hold the view…that it flies in the face of the professional ethics of journalism…and we have begun to put in place additional checks and balances to avoid recurrence,” the Chronicle General Manager assured.
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