BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
DEPUTY Resident Representative and Solomon Islands UNDP Country Manager, Berdi Berdiyev has said that the Solomon Islands media has a critical role and responsibility in society to raise awareness over different issues.
UNDP Country Manager, Berdi Berdiyev called on editors, publishers, journalists and Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) members from the media fraternity in the country at the recent Media Awards 2022, saying the local media industry has a huge role to play in the society.
“Media can help shape values, influence public opinion, promote collaboration, informed the public on the important developments, both on the social economic side and political sides and everything that we see around us.
“The public, generally expects from the media reliable and fact based information that can help them to make decisions in public life.
“Therefore I like to recognise all the journalists and media professionals to continue to ask difficult questions, raise important topics, try enlighten on groups, communities and people who would otherwise have gone unnoticed and most importantly to keep hold those in power to account.
Berdi said that United Nations in the Solomon Islands is working closely with media community on their day to day work and vital projects that they offered in the areas, of Health, Education, Justice, Elections and many other fields.
“And we collaborated with media and we rely on media in raising awareness and promoting advocacy around this issues.
“The Media is a key to building sustainable and peaceful societies, something that United Nation (UN) is working very hard for.
“Unfortunately, there has been a decline in overall public perceptions of the media recently, and most often see that the media is not been impartial in the way the news is been conveyed or the facts presented.
“So this increasing turn towards alternative sources of media to the internet is a something that they can find themselves and create their own versions of the events and as I said comes with own risks,’’ he warned.
He said that UNDP Solomon Islands has remain committed in partnership with the media association here in the Solomon Islands with all the media professionals, journalists, freelance in promoting the sustainable developments goals and the national development objectives of this country in raising public awareness on the important of this critical tasks.
“We believe that media and free media and access to information is not only a democratic necessity, but it’s a greater public good that we all should contribute to,’’ he added.
He reiterated that the significance of professional and independent media cannot be underestimated.
“The significance of professional and independent media is in all its forms, be it television, radio, printed media and more increasingly the internet and social media that we are using on a daily basis.
“So the influence is growing and so as the opportunity as well so as the risk that come with it.
“As United Nations we have been involved in supporting media and press and working for the access for information for many years since the universal declaration of human rights emphasis this important democratic values so therefore it’s impeded in everything we do not only in the Solomon Islands but globally as well.”
