Unity state official tells journalists to share information before publishing

The Director General of the Unity State Ministry of Information has urged journalists to share information with his ministry before publishing in what could be construed for censorship.

“I have agreed with your operational independence and freedom of expression, but we can share information. This will show good working atmosphere between you and the state ministry of Information,” Kupal Keah, the director general of the state ministry of information said during the meeting with Journalists last week in Bentiu town.

The meeting was attended by several media houses, and the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS).

Officials in the state ministry of Information called journalists to discuss on what is to be reported and news that are not supposed to be reported due to sensitivity.

Alneim Mubarak Kuol, a freelance journalist reporting for alshurok Arabic newspaper, said journalists should not reveal their news sources to the ministry of information before broadcasting but agreed on information sharing.

“We only agreed on information sharing, all media houses should operate independently without reporting to the ministry of Information,” Kuol said.

The Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) in Unity State, said media houses should operate independently without reporting news to the ministry of Information before broadcasting.

However, it called for cooperation with officials of the information ministry through information sharing.

The journalists and officials of the information ministry agreed on the need to seek authorization letter before covering news in the field.