ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – The Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG) Friday condemned what it termed “threats, intimidation, and actions by political activists and operatives,” who it said are forcing statutory bodies and government-affiliated agencies to withhold or terminate advertising contracts with media houses that allow opposition voices or public criticism of the ruling administration.
“These actions are nothing short of an assault on democracy and a direct attack on press freedom in Grenada. The practice of weaponizing government advertising to punish or silence media outlets is an abuse of power that undermines the constitutional rights of all Grenadians to access independent information and diverse perspectives,” MWAG said in a statement.
It said public advertising funds do not belong to any political party and that these funds are collected from taxpayers and must be “allocated fairly, transparently, and in the national interest, (and) not used as political tools to control or coerce the media.”
Media reports here stated that a well-known surrogate of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has threatened to orchestrate the removal of government advertising from a local radio station, citing displeasure with public criticism aired on the station’s popular morning talk show.
The reports stated that the activist has promised to “closely monitor” the radio station, referencing previous successes in similar campaigns.
“So there are some stations where we were very successful in cutting some of those ads, very, very successful,” he said.
In September last year, the government removed advertisements from a radio station that had been critical of the Dickon Mitchell administration.
In its statement, MWAG said that the use of financial pressure to influence editorial decisions is “censorship by economic strangulation.
“MWAG will not stand idly by any group that seeks to suffocate press freedom and stifle the voices of journalists, broadcasters, program hosts, podcasters, and content creators who serve the public’s right to know.
“MWAG demands that all statutory bodies, state-owned enterprises, and government ministries reject political interference in advertising decisions and distribute public advertising resources equitably.”
It said that it was further calling on the Grenada government “to publicly and unequivocally reaffirm its commitment to protecting press freedom and ensuring that no media house faces economic punishment for fulfilling its duty to inform the public.
“MWAG remains unwavering in its mission to defend the constitutional rights of media workers and the Grenadian public. We will continue to advocate forcefully for a media environment where all voices can be heard without fear— and where truth, professionalism, and ethical conduct are non-negotiable pillars of our democracy,” it added.
and then  Friday condemned what it termed “threats, intimidation, and actions by political){kind=link}