The Center for Media Studies & Peace Building or CEMESP, in collaboration with the Press Union of Liberia has released a report on media monitoring and content analysis, focusing on accountability in the use of Ebola funds.
Speaking Tuesday, 8 September at the Monrovia YMCA on Broad Street, CEMESP executive director, Malcolm Joseph, said, the aim of the exercise is to gage how well Liberian journalists reported on the use of monies that were sent to Liberia to fight the Ebola Virus Disease, including the overall performance of the media during the crisis, which took the lives of over a thousand Liberians.
According to the report, which covered the period July-August 2015, after seven weeks of monitoring and analyzing, it was observed that the media in Liberia is still largely focused on reporting political stories then seeking accountability for public funds.
It says out of 1,190 stories published and broadcast by 14 media institutions, which was monitored by IREX, only 140 were Ebola-related and out of this number, only 40 reported something related to Ebola funds or resources accountability about donations, pledges and complaints on benefits for Ebola workers.
The President for the Press Union of Liberia,Adbullah Kamara, who officially launched the report, urged journalists to follow up on stories and make use of the Freedom of Information or FOI law in demanding public information.
By Bridgett Milton