MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has awarded several of its members and institutions for their excellent performances during the year 2020.
At the award ceremony Friday, February 26,2021, at the Paynesville City Hall, the Liberia Broadcasting System’s ELBC Radio was recognized as radio station of the year while LNTV was awarded the best television station of the year.
Front Page Africa Newspaper was named the best newspaper for the year 2020.
For individual awards, Zoquay Beysolow-Konneh of the Liberia Broadcasting System was awarded best newscaster while the system’s Executive Mansion reporter, Varflay Kamara walked away with the best Executive Mansion reporter award.
Winston Blyden of Bana FM was named best legislative reporter and Truth FM’s Peter Toby was recognized as the best judicial reporter.
Power FM/TV’s Anthony Stevens was awarded journalist of the year 2020. Meanwhile, Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President, Charles Coffey, is calling on governments of the world to take urgent steps to tackle the economic crisis facing the media.
Mr. Coffey said governments need to take steps to protect and sustain news and information through the use of fiscal policy, public advertising, subsidies and other measures to alleviate the media from economic challenges.
Speaking Friday at the Paynesville City Hall during the award ceremony for the Press Union, Mr. Coffey also stressed the need for media institutions to maintain an inhouse regulator to keep content honest.
He noted that such regulator would mitigate conflicts stemming from external and internal pressure and foster self-criticism.
Mr. Coffey has at the same time recommitted the PUL to advocacy, lobbying and campaigning to rebuild journalism for the public good.
At the same time, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, has challenged the Liberian media to hold each branch of government accountable for its responsibility.
Minister McGill noted that the branches of government have a define role to play and the media should checkmate each branch to perform said role.
Speaking at the PUL award ceremony Friday, the State for Presidential Affairs Minister emphasized that in order for the country’s democracy to be strong; all branches of government should respect their definite and define roles.
He stressed that it would be a mistake for the Liberian democratic space it one branch of government would usurp the function of another.
Minister McGill at the same time assured of the Liberian government’s commitment to protect freedom of speech and a free press in the country.