JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION - STOP BUYING NEWSPAPERS.

by BRYAN KRAMER MP

Using the power and influence of the people we need to fight corruption by not buying both the National and Post Courier that in my view promote corruption by publishing fake Govt news and ignoring articles on high-level corruption. Fake news that is intended to mislead the public of the real state of the economy and failures of a corrupt O'Neill Government.

In a press statement by Minister of Communications Sam Basil, he confirms that journalists and media organisations are being paid by public money.
After taking office I also confirmed, a reporter with the National Ms Dorothy Mark received payments from Madang DSIP funds. In 2016 she was paid K3,000 for media supplements and another K890 for financial assistance.
In November 2016, I questioned her reporting for being biased and asked the question if she was on the former Member's payroll. She took offence to my question claiming she has never received a single toea.

When I recently questioned her again this time asking if she can confirm or deny she was being paid by former MP Duban, her response being "if you have a problem with my story its best you speak to my editors" She went to say she thinks my questions are out of hand.
"Mr Kramer please stop, you are a national MP so speak like one" she said.
My response: "Dorothy I asked you a simple question which you seem to be avoiding and as you are being accused of bias reporting I believe it's a fair question - why are you avoiding it?"
Her response: "draw your own conclusion and have a nice day but also please don't refuse to respond whenever I message you."

My response: "Thank you Dorothy but I think you know by now I don't draw conclusions without knowing what I'm talking about and for that reason you and I both know it is why you are avoiding providing an answer." "The fact is you just became the news. It is not whether I will refuse to respond whenever you text me but whether you will be even still reporting"
No response - but true to my word she has in fact now become the news.
If journalists are already being paid by their media organisations why are they double dipping into public funds? How many more journalist or editors are being paid by public money.
It is beyond a question of doubt the articles published in both National and Post Courier are clearly biased, written by reporters who have a close personal association to Members of Parliament or their staff.

I am tired of corruption and I'm tired of the media who have lost their journalist integrity. With exception to a few self respecting journalists, it appears in PNG we have a free media, free to be compromised so no need to threaten them.
I'm tired of them not asking the questions that need to be asked or at least confirming the reports by the O'Neill Government are in fact false.
Newspapers rely on company advertising so until they clean up their act I'm asking for your help to hold them to account by not buying the paper for three weeks and encourage your family and friends to do the same.

Further still if the company you work for advertises in either paper then tell them to pull their advising or at the least put the paper on notice that their misleading reports will lose them business.
80% of our people living in remote and rural parts of PNG are feeling the pain of corruption - so lets help the media organisations feel the same pain in their bottom line.
If you are a Pastor/Father or a member of a Church or fellowship group tell your members not to buy newspapers.
I intend to take this issue on the street - it's a war they won't win and can't afford to lose. My advice to the management of both papers start cleaning up your act before the people clean up your business.