Media Influence Encourages & Strengthens Regionalism
Media Influence Encourages & Strengthens Regionalism
Recently there were numerous calls from the public domain to ban the celebrations of the provincial days! The call was also supported by the Lae MP Hon. John Rosso who forfeited any hosting of Provincial Days in Lae by any provincial groups.
This has nothing to do with the cultural identities. It is however an increasing sense of segregation of ethnic groups which is of greater concern - and this indeed is a domestic security concern. What a learned person would want to see is a sense of Patriotism and all is done and said for the sake of greater PNG.
For the record, the provincial day celebrations got popular only 2 to 3 years ago! However for so long, we may have never realized it but the Mass Media (Print, Television etc) has been the main cause of promoting regionalism. The following are some of the fine examples of how the media has affected our paradigm and promoted regionalism!
1. Career Achievement:
When one person graduates with a higher degree, or excels in Business or is promoted in his/her job, the media is so quick to establish where that person hails from (district & province). This is not necessary! It may add value to their story writing & presentation, but the reality is, a learned person who has a sense of Patriotism doesn't want those details to be made public. It is better to see the bigger picture as motivation for PNG as a whole and not for a particular tribe or clan or province for that matter.
2. Ethnic Clash:
This one gets the headline of the mass media! Indeed I understand the journalists who are compiling the stories come from tribal and clan units just like all of us, and what they know is put forward for the public consumption through media. This in fact is influencing the mindset of public, and its enforcing that sense of ethnic segregation. It would be better to say the place of residence of those people involved, or call the name of that particular person who instigate such problems rather than mentioning tribal, district or province. When you see across PNG from the highlands to the coastal, no province is innocent from instigating problems! From Milne Bay to New Guinea Islands to Northern Province to Madang, Lae, Mamase to Highlands Regions; all provinces have one way or another contributed to the bad side of PNG just like all have contributed to the good side. My province is not clean and I cant throw the first stone at Madang or Hela. As a learned person, I am as guilty as those in Madang or Hela! Because we are PNGeans.
There are other such examples mass media is promoting regionalism in PNG, and sooner or later, POM will be divided in smaller segregated Provinces.
Before it becomes a domestic national threat, Media needs to readjust their reporting and do away with segregation and regionalism as major part of their reporting!