Monday 14 December 2009

Jersey Media Working Group.

You may have noted the States invitation for public comment on the following topics;

How do you find out about the work of the States Assembly?
Is enough information available about meetings of the States and Scrutiny?
Do the proceedings receive enough coverage?
What are your views on having audio/or visual recordings of meetings?
Should these be available to view on the Internet?
Do you have an opinion on the use of blog sites?
Who do you believe to be “the media”?

BUT BE WARNED that goalposts are already being moved about and we at Team Voice have received worrying responses to our initial probing through the appropriate Committee Clerk Anna Heuston on tel 01534 441033 or e-mail a.heuston@gov.je

According to Anna; “The Terms of Reference state that the Working Party wishes to determine a definition of “the media”. As a starting point, the Working Party wishes to determine what constitutes “accredited media”.

Some difference! And will there ever be a further determination of the true meaning of “the media”?
We at The Voice doubt it. This Working Group is designed to confirm the illusion that there is a group of respectable, professional people who deserve to be called “accredited media” and that they shall be treated more favourably than others - such as “bloggers”. This whole exercise is intended to defend the status quo where a cosy club relationship exists between Jersey government and the select few of reliable local “journalists” who will report just what they are told.

Anna also confirms that “The published topics for public comment are merely suggestions and do not limit the investigation that is proposed.”

And that “It is not proposed to invite any particular individuals or groups, either from within the Bailiwick or beyond, to make written or oral submissions. Submissions are welcome from everyone.”

The Panel consists of Senator Ben Shenton (Chair), Constable J. Gallichan and Deputy A. Jeune.
Unfortunately, Senator Shenton has already demonstrated his bias against bloggers over recent months by introducing discriminatory restrictions against the so called “non accredited media” at Scrutiny hearings.

At least Deputy James Reed (President of Ed. Sport & Culture), who was initially appointed to serve on the Panel, has had the integrity to resign when he realised that he was “conflicted”.

Like so many matters sent out for ”consultation” with the public there are undisclosed agenda behind this latest activity. The televised broadcasting of States meetings and the video streaming of Scrutiny hearing are already being discussed with contractors and the whole issue of the access to public information (through the Greffes, Governmental Departments, the official WEB sites, the CAB etc) is constantly being fiddled with and extraordinarily important legislation under the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Laws is also now being considered.

These are immensely important matters for all of us who take any interest in access to information, the broadcasting and exchange of ideas, free expression and democratic government.

If you are reading this – then you are somebody who needs to know more about what is going on and what might happen in the very near future.

Don’t just sit there – contact Anna Heuston or your elected representatives – and make your views known on these matters and many more.

Submitted by Thomas Wellard.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you have an opinion on the use of blogsites?

Yes, there are unreliable, biased and badly written.

Anonymous said...

To the previous poster......UNRELIABLE, BIASED AND BADLY WRITTEN............

THEN WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING READING THEM???

Some people really are so thick I'm sure they need Ipods to remind them how to breath.

In.... Out... In... Out....

Anonymous said...

Hilarious. You ask for opinions on this blog and as soon as someone voices one you immediately call them thick. Classy.

voiceforchildren said...

With respect when somebody comes on and makes a statement like "there are badly written" and possibly believes the "accredited" media are not bias, well you can't blame people for thinking they're not exactly the sharpest tool in the box.

Blogsites by there very nature are bias. The difference between Bloggers and "accredited" press is that Bloggers don't pretend to be impartial or independent.

Anonymous said...

Jon boy is most certainly not the sharpest tool in the box, in fact he is a sad little half wit who spends his time trying to support a spent establishment in the hopes that he will be given recognition by the love of his life.

Oh dear Jonny no friends you sad litte prat everyone knows your identity - you have a bad habit of posting the same old drivel time and time again. Now go off and find someone to play with, surely you must be able to find a like minded prat - and hey if your so god damned clever why don't you start your own blog - oops nobody would read it would they because you come out with the same old drivel time and time again. Your an embarrasment to the Island.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure quite what boundary of human knowledge has been extended by the comments so far but the invitation was for people to contact Anna Heuston - not to submit childish drivel here.

By all means write childish drivel if you must - but if you have any worthwhile views to express by all means share them on here - but most of all participate in the Review that is underway.

Ex-Senator Stuart Syvret said...

You simply couldn't make it up.

The States of Jersey - in all its intellectual and philosophical magisterial glory - is going to determine who and what the media are.

I'm sure the United Nations and the Council of Europe are waiting - with humble and rapt attention - to receive the wisdom of these three clowns.

And to think - Shenton had the gall to insult Lenny Harper - a man a 100 times greater than he will ever be.

My God - these three idiots claim to want to save tax-payers money - yet are wasting it and officers' time - on what is, essentially, a fascistic project - designed to maintain the media-monopoly of the Jersey oligarchy - and thus maintain the the public of Jersey poorly served by lies and omissions.

If anyone wants to make a submission to this "investigation" - I suggest simply sending them a reminder of what we fought WWII for.

Stuart

Anonymous said...

VFC did not call you thick. I DID!!! Now after me

In....Out.....

If Team Voice was so biased, why did they let your insulting post through?

You're the type of person who would turn up at a vegitarian convention with a ham sandwich!!!!


In...... Out......

GeeGee said...

I think we only have to read the words on the banner under the Voice for Protest logo to see why we need blogs like The Voice and Stuarts.

It is our right as citizens to be made aware of the bigger picture, and I would say that we are in the main perfectly capable of making our own minds up and making our own decisions as to what we do/do not take on board.

As Stuart so rightly says, our forefathers fought a war (my own Dad fought in WW2 in the Navy), and it was not with the intention of being deprived of freedom of speech etc, particularly by a tribe of monkeys!

For my part I will contact Anna Heuston and hope that some semblance of common sense is applied by this panel.

Anonymous said...

So why does this review not also include websites, messenger services, chat rooms, or comments over a pint in the pub - all forms of opinion forming and information exchange? Sound paranoid? Any takers on the odds of there still being a law in Jersey preventing the public meeting of more than 5 people? Loads of places had such laws in Napoleonic times. The truth , of course, is you say or print pretty much what you like if it is not libel /slander as long as it does not inconvenience those with vested interests and the whiff of power in their nostrils.