THE Bahamas Press Club released a statement yesterday crying “shame” on Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest for his recent criticism of a local journalist from the floor of Parliament, saying the time is “long past” for journalists to be dictated to by politicians in power.
During debate in the House of Assembly last week, Mr Turnquest referred to a recent “Beyond the Headlines” show that featured former Chairman of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation Alex Storr as a guest. He criticised the quality of the show, saying “nine out of ten (times) they going on with information that they get off of the black belt press or one of these kind of things, the ghetto news network.”
On his programme last Thursday, Mr Watson responded to the claim and defended his integrity and the show.
Meanwhile, the press club’s statement noted: “The Bahamas Press Club cries shame on Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest for his unfortunate and unfair marginalisation of ILTV, its news director Clint Watson and the informative programme, ‘Beyond the Headlines.’
“On the floor of the House of Assembly on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 Mr Turnquest categorised the content of such shows as coming from the ‘Black Belt Press’ or ‘Ghetto News Network,’ which he says he doesn’t watch, to save himself from having headaches.
“But that is exactly the news that all politicians want and need when they seek to gain power or to retain it. They listen to the voices of the ordinary people, the people in the ‘black belt,’ the people in the ‘ghetto.’”
The Bahamas Press Club said Mr Watson is “professional in an honourable and respectable profession.”
The statement added: “The time is long past when the Bahamas had just one radio station and one television outlet, which were controlled by the government. It is long past the time when the journalists, the editors, and the media house owners were dictated to by the politicians in power and threatened with lawsuits when the news did not favour them.”
Comments
The_Oracle 5 years, 6 months ago
We have a "black Belt" or Ghetto News Network" because Government controlled and therefore censored news for the first 50 odd years of our history. No self respecting "journalist" would work for, or even could work for ZNS radio or TV. Private press had their own agenda to a degree, but now we have the internet where everyone is reporter, Judge, jury and executioner. It has done nothing for quality, and little to realign the big picture to our sad reality. I still can't watch ZNS without cringing. So Government has created their own lethal if somewhat Ignorant nemesis. Well deserving of each other quite frankly.
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 6 months ago
Clint Watson is actually one of the best reporters in the country. I find it amazing that Turnquest who can't get anything straight has time to talk about ghetto people. Four months after the budget passed he and Johnson still backtracking. I hope all us ghetto people and all persons over 35 understand the this government has no interest in you. I should say this "collection of individuals". It's a pity they decided not to hold a convention. They're opening themselves to an e tea year of unnecessary pain. Minnis has turned out to be everything Loretta and Key said. Turnquest is plain arrogant with nothing to be arrogant about
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