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PAO, Sita Liane Chakrawarti (left), Kebe Yacouba, Speaker and  former IV (middle) and John James (moderator) during the conference

U.S Embassy Hosts Discussion on Media and Privacy of Public Personalities

On September 29, 2009, PAS Abidjan organized a roundtable discussion on “Media and Privacy of Public Personalities.” The program brought together about 80 participants composed of journalists, heads of local media watchdogs and self-regulatory institutions; GOCI officials; representatives of political parties; religious leaders; members of the civil society and students.

Addressing the participants, PAO, Sita Liane Chakrawarti, underscored the importance of free press in the functioning of a democracy. She also stressed the role of the journalists to provide accurate information to the public and their responsibility to respect individuals’ privacy when reporting.  

Discussions were led by Mr. Kebe Yacouba, an Ivorian veteran journalist and former IV. He urged the journalists to protect the privacy of the citizens irrespective of their social background. Journalists should always stick to the fact by providing balance news and refrain from serving the public information based on rumors. “Any little rumor can trigger crisis,” he said. One participant deplored the fact that journalists in developing countries, especially in Cote d’Ivoire, are not able to thoroughly carry out an investigative report on important issues.

The program received intensive media coverage. Dailies including : Notre Voie; Nord-Sud Quotidien and Le Nouveau Reveil Le Mandat; Notre Heure; and Le Patriote carried positive articles on the discussion. Agence Ivoirienne de Presse (AIP) – a state-owned news agency – also published a story on its web site: www.aip.ci. ONUCI-FM (a United Nations radio station in Cote d’Ivoire); Radio Cote d’Ivoire (a state-owned radio); TV1 (a state-run TV station) and other proximity radios carried either voices or footage of participants.