Media versus culture, a silent barrier to media freedom

When reading and talking about free media in some Pacific Island Countries (PICs), it raised questions whether there is really a free media.  A number of PICs are listed to have free media, however, there are barriers that thought to have protected media to fully accomplish its work. Culture or custom for that matter is one of the silent barriers to media freedom in some island countries. Media limited its role to focus on to certain people or to cover certain issues because of the fear that they might breach certain cultural values or the people they supposed to report were their relatives. This cultural credence is seen as a challenge for media freedom in various listed free media societies in the Pacific.

Culture or custom for that matter is highly respected and uphold in Solomon Islands and to some extent a great challenge for media freedom in some cases. Just recently a Solomon star news Paper Company in Solomon Islands was attacked of being covering a sensitive issue regarding the Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo was allegedly reported having extra-marital affair. The relatives of the woman who Lilo allegedly having an affair with, said that it against their custom and disrespectful to report such issue. They made threats and intimidated the editor and the reporter and demanded compensation. Solomon Star chief of staff Ednal Palmer refuted the action of the group said that it was the sad chapter of media freedom in Solomon Islands. Palmer said it was a sad day for freedom of information in Solomon Islands, the Solomon Star was merely reporting what has already been published in the social media and read by thousands of people around the country. He said the focus about the article was the contents of a letter sent to Forum Solomon Islands International and all media outlets by Mr. Lilo’s lawyer. What happened was a clear threat to the freedom of expression and the right of the people of Solomon Islands to know. 
The issue raised confusion to the so called free media being claimed in some Pacific Island countries. Reporting on such issue involving the Prime Minister is vital for public interest, and the media is playing its role by informing the public on this regard. Culture or custom for that matter could be a big challenge that exceptional to some countries where media freedom is strongly emphasized. Should there be a law put in place that can protect journalists to totally free from reporting cultural related issues? That is a big question considering our cultures are being inherited and passed from generation to generation. Unless our cultural beliefs are totally demise, press freedom will hardly achieve in a cultural oriented society.