Curbs on press freedoms tighten

Press, 12 March 1983, Page 3

Curbs on press freedoms tighten

Restrictions on press freedoms are intensifying in several parts of the world, according to the visiting president of the International Federation of Journalists, Mr Ken Ashton. He said that, of the nonaligned countries, South Africa appeared to have the most restricted press. Some South American countries also had severe press censorship. The broadcasting media were often run by the State, which explained why radio stations were often the first targets in uprisings. There seemed to be a move throughout the world to restrict press freedoms. In some countries, journalists were murdered, imprisoned, and -harassed while doing their job. Restrictions were more subtle in South Africa, whose press laws made it easy for journalists to fall foul of the Government. The victims of press restrictions were the people in the countries involved, who received either incomplete knowledge of events, or information “fed" by. the government which distorted news to its own advantage. Mr Ashton said that his federation supported the concept of a pluralistic press throughout the world which would represent a variety of views in each country. He saw no evidence of undue censorship in New Zealand, a country which “seemed to have a good record.”