Icolo e Bengo - The difficulties experienced by journalists in accessing information is still a reality in the exercise of journalism in Angola, making it difficult to follow the adversarial principle for impartial, unbiased information that is committed to the truth.
The statement was made by the MP António Paulo during a lecture on World Press Freedom Day marked on May 3, stressing the need for a culture of providing information of public utility by the country's public and private institutions.
During his talk on "Protecting press freedom in the face of journalistic insecurity", the MP said that journalists work with data and information, since they can't make anything up, and in the absence of such information, they limit their ability to ascertain the truth.
"It's very difficult and complicated to practice journalism against this backdrop of certain limitations on access to information," Paulo said.
António Paulo explained that journalists should not confuse freedom of the press with libertinage, thinking that they can report and inform everything they want, without observing the limits established in the press law and the Constitution of the Republic.
The university teacher reminded media professionals to be familiar with the press law in order to know how far their freedoms extend and to have a clear idea of what they should and shouldn't publish, bearing in mind matters such as state secrets, which are reserved by law.
"Any carelessness or lack of knowledge of the law in relation to the limits established by law can lead journalists into uncomfortable situations," said the MP.
António Paulo emphasized that the difficulty in accessing sources of information opens up space for speculation and sensationalism, losing the opportunity to report truthfully and impartially.
Attended by journalists, media students and civil society organizations, the meeting was promoted by the Angolan Media Regulatory Authority (ERCA).
ERCA is an independent body whose mission is to ensure the objectivity and impartiality of information and to safeguard freedom of expression and thought in the press, in accordance with the rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic.
World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3.
The date was created on December 20, 1993 by a decision of the United Nations General Assembly and celebrates Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marks Windhoek Declaration Day. CLAU/AJQ/AMP
