How free is the press in the Caribbean in 2021? We've invited two journalists and a political analyst to give us their views on that question. They talk about the role news media plays, and should play in our fledgling liberal Caribbean democracies. What would be the ideal situation? And what is the reality?

Ideally, we should want to see multiple news outlets in each country, but the prevalence of privately owned, politically neutral ones over those politically-aligned, or those that are state-controlled. We should want to see uncensored reporting on all critical issues in our societies, freely done across any medium - TV, radio, print, and digital. Commentary and reporting on business, government, politics, corruption, and crime, ought to be possible free from harassment, intimidation, or victimization. And more than anything, we should all want fair, balanced journalism of the highest ethical and professional standards. 

But in reality, good journalism costs money and sometimes there just isn't enough to be made. Harassment and victimization of journalists and commentators is not unheard of. It occurs subtly, and even sometimes openly. Politically-aligned news outlets often outnumber politically neutral ones. And state-owned media is almost always sympathetic to political masters. All this is not to say that the press is not free. This is merely us exploring how free it is, as compared to what we feel it ought to be. This discussion was organised in light of World Press Freedom Day 2021.

The host is Kadeem Joseph, who is standing in for Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on May 9th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.