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G-G Charges Media to Report the Positives

August 11, 2005

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Governor General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Howard Cooke, while lauding the work of the Jamaican media, called for more emphasis to be placed on reporting the positives in the country.
“I must confess frankly to you that sometimes, I worry about the content of some of the media’s output; about the negative reporting, the emphasis on disaster and the implications of such output for our children, and for the country as a whole”, he stated.
The Governor General, who was speaking yesterday (Aug.10) at the official opening of the new offices of ‘The Western Mirror’ located at 4 Cottage Road in Montego Bay, expressed the view that, “not enough publicity is being given to our achievements as a nation. In my opinion, Jamaica is one of the greatest countries in the world”.
He underscored the importance of the media in ensuring a free and democratic society, but noted that with this role, came a great sense of responsibility.
“One of the most powerful forces in any society is the media. It not only records the history of the human society, that is, its triumphs and failures, but it also helps to shape public opinion even as it informs and entertains”, the Governor General noted, adding that it also had the potential to foment anarchy and as such, was a potent instrument of change.
He said that the media was in the position to influence the recognition of truth, to guide social engineering and to inspire the nation to lift standards of relationships and to set the stage for peace and harmony.
In his address, president of the Press Association of Jamaica, Desmond Richards, encouraged the business community to continue to support the media, noting that their businesses depended on stability, freedom and access to information.
The first copy of the Western Mirror newspaper was published in 1980 after workers for the former ‘Beacon’ decided to take up of the challenge to continue the publication of a community paper.
The newspaper is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Last Updated: August 11, 2005

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