By Bernama,
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Journalists Association feels that there is a long way to go before journalists here can get the same access to information as fellow media practitioners elsewhere in the world.
This was despite growing acceptance among government officials and business players that the media should be free, said association head Mohammed Youssef.
“We’re not given information on a silver plate. We’ve to fight for it. In some ways, it’s harder now because more government departments are using PR (public relations) firms, so you’re passed on to someone who knows nothing about the topic,” The National quoted him as saying.
It still took too long to get information, he said, adding that it was easier to print a story “without waiting for weeks” if a journalist possessed information that he knew was absolutely correct.
Speaking at an event last night to mark the first UAE Press Freedom Day, he said people seeking information about the UAE would find it, for example, on Reuters or Bloomberg in London or New York if they could not find it here.
“So it doesn’t make sense to keep things hidden from the press in this country,” Youssef said.
He advised journalists to exercise caution in carrying out their work as media organisations could still be reprimanded for publishing incorrect or libellous information.