Maseru, February 3—Mr. Kananelo Boloetse, Chairperson of the Lesotho Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), has expressed concern over the waning influence of media reports in the country. In an interview with LENA, he noted a significant decline in the effectiveness of media coverage, particularly regarding issues of corruption.
Boloetse emphasized that previously, media reports on corruption would often spur investigations by law enforcement and provoke responses from civil society organizations. In contrast, he indicated that such reports today tend to languish without further action, primarily ending up in newspaper columns without significant follow-up.
He attributed this decline in media credibility to various factors, including the political affiliations of certain media outlets and journalists. “Some media houses and their journalists have aligned themselves with specific political parties or figures,” he stated. This alignment compromises their ability to report impartially, creating a situation where both aligned and neutral media practitioners are perceived as biased.
Furthermore, he pointed out that politicians often exploit the media to further their agendas, which can undermine public trust. This has led to a scenario where perpetrators of corruption can easily dismiss allegations as mere smear campaigns…
MP/BM
