Apart from La Sentinelle naming its ‘mediateurs’ last week, there is not much news about the activities of our local media and their endeavours to set up associations, write codes of ethics and track down initiatives to stifle freedom of the press.
This can be mainly attributed of course to the fact that our local political figures in govt have paused their threats, presumably either because they have ‘d’autres chats a fouetter’ or are too busy touring the world to put Mauritius on the international map.
A note on the setting up of ‘La Sentinelle Complaints Committee’:
Readers have not really been empowered so far as it is unclear how they are supposed to proceed in order to get their complaints registered. I guess we need to give them some more time to figure out how to communicate about this particular part of the process…
Also, given the good implementation of the website for L’express, I would suggest that a corner be set up to receive and accommodate readers’ complaints, as well as give free access to one and all and enable online viewing and follow up of discussions.
Another suggestion could also be the inclusion of forums on the paper’s website to open up space for sensible and free discussion of the articles that have been published, like on Le Monde’s website.
Indeed, I would welcome a coin des lecteurs or forum of readers which would be un edited preferrably. They do have boite postale 247, but would appear to publish what the editor selects.
Yep, it’s also true of most other papers who have a ‘coin des lecteurs or forum’ on their paper edition.
As you rightly said, there is a selection process which is not transparent at all and I know people whose views have simply not been published for obscure (and sometimes not so obscure) reasons.
An online, transparent forum where everybody can post is probably a bit risky but it also enhances credibilty and richness of informaiton & exchanges.