By Ken Chaplin, Contributor
Clifton Neita (centre, left), vice-president of the Press Association of Jamaica, and Ken Chaplin, secretary, representing the PAJ at the inaugural meeting of the Inter-Amercian Federation of Working Journalists in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1962.
- Contributed
WHEN THE idea of journalists forming an organisation to represent their interests was first discussed in 1943, the profession was sharply divided whether it should be a strictly professional body or trade union to be concerned with the economic improvement and working conditions of journalists.
In the end, the majority agreed to a professional organisation, arguing that the trade union route would exclude certain categories of journalists whose inclusion would be in the general interest of the profession.
Up to today it is still debatable whether the right decision had been taken.
LIVING FOR JOURNALISM
For at least 30 years there was hardly any significant improvement in the standard of living for journalists. It was not until the number of media had grown and there was increased competition for staff that many were paid what they were worth.
And so the Jamaica Press Association, later renamed the Press Association Jamaica (PAJ), was formed later in 1943 as a professional body with Theodore Sealy as president and Wyatt Bryce as secretary.
The association was born during the final stages of the struggle for a new constitution based on universal adult suffrage which was achieved in 1944.
Indeed, the formation of the association was considered an act of remarkable foresight by the founding fathers. Over the 60 years, the association has helped to preserve freedom of the press which is the foundation of a free and democratic society.
Today, Jamaica along with Hungary and South Africa ranks 21st of 166 countries in the world press freedom listing by the Paris-based media watchdog organisation, Reporters Without Borders.
This ranking did not come easily but was due to the foundation and tradition of eternal vigilance of the PAJ and the media as a whole for over 60 years.
The association has worked unceasingly to protect journalists from undue pressure and restrictions in the pursuit of their legitimate professional activities.
At the same time it has always emphasised to its members the value of responsible journalism, of accurate and objective reporting.
We learned from the first issue of "Press & Public" (1944-45), an annual magazine of the PAJ that the aims of the association were to:- Foster a high standard of journalism in the island; maintain and improve the professional status of its members; safeguard and protect the rights and privileges belonging to and usually accorded the press.
Promote and maintain intro-professional goodwill and foster better understanding between the proprietors and/or managers of local publications.
Participate actively in all matters of principle and policy affecting the press and members of the association.
Show appreciation to members of the press for meritorious work in journalism and to promote activities in the interest of public welfare.
Although the work of journalists was recognised on an ad hoc basis for many years, it was not until 1964 that it was done on an organised basis with the inauguration of the Seprod Awards for outstanding journalism in newspapers, magazines, radio and television.
At the same time, the association decided to recognise a public body every year whose work had been most outstanding. The award was named the National Press Award and the Jamaica Constabulary Force was the only organisation to have won it twice.
In the late 1960s membership in the Association reached a peak of 200, but dwindled during the ideological struggle in the 1970s when the then executive aligned itself to orthodox socialism, and has not recovered since.
REBUILDING
Today membership stands at 40 but the present executive is making an effort to rebuilt it.
Over the years various governments sought the assistance of the Association in many matters relating to the press.
For example, in 1966 government asked the association for its views on the International Right of Correction. The association felt that the Convention was not inimical to the interests of the press and said it had no objection if government signed.
In that same year, the association took positive action to end the blackout of news during the State of Emergency in Western Kingston.
It once called on the media to boycott a Test match at Sabina Park because local sportswriters were not allowed to enter the Kingston Cricket Club members' pavilion while foreign journalists were accommodated.
The boycott was quickly removed by cricket and club authorities after the association's intervention.
One of its most difficult roles was mediator between journalists and the state. For example, there was a running "battle" in the columns of The Gleaner in the 1960s between Ulric Simmonds, the newspaper's political reporter, and Victor Grant, attorney-general in the Jamaica Labour Party government.
The association's executive invited both gentlemen to a meeting at its Geffrard Place headquarters. It took the meeting two days to settle the dispute.
The executive has had to publish guidelines on the use of embargoes and handouts which are as relevant today as it was 33 years ago.
The embargo guidelines which were issued to media houses and public relations organisations on January 30, 1970 say:
The media reviewed their firm undertaking to honour embargoes. In the event of an embargo being considered presumptuous or unacceptable, media should consult inter se and agree on joint or concerted action.
Jamaica Information Service should advise government ministries, etc., of embargo ethics and discourage subordinating Jamaican release timing to overseas interest unless the matter is one in which principal interest and authority are not Jamaican but overseas.
Media should notify the association of every instance of dubious embargo so that the association can deal with the matter.
The guidelines on handouts state:
Editors and journalists are becoming increasingly concerned about the growing number of press conferences which are called by a number of organisations and individuals for the purpose merely of handing out a release which could have been issued in the normal way.
The indiscriminate calling of press conferences takes up considerable time, and very often attract persons who have nothing whatever to do with any of the media. The result is that much time is wasted, and from a strict journalistic standpoint, no more is achieved than if a news release had been delivered to the media by hand.
The PAJ is interested to see press conferences used as free and open question and answer sessions on really important public matters and not as a means of getting journalists together in the same places to receive 'handouts'.
We feel our interest would be mutually best served if organisations and individuals wishing to call press conferences consult with editors and news editors before making their arrangements.
