Unscrupulous, Dishonesty

By Perry B. Zordyu

The Management of The New Republic Newspaper (TNR) has sharply reacted and taken serious exception to what seems to be a copy of the news outlet with headline, “NO MUSLIM WORKING IN MY GOVERNMENT,”posted by a group calling itself, SAPA TV-Liberia.

Management says this is a complete Yellow Journalism as the copy of the TNR used to insect the HATE message against the Muslims is copy of an old newspaper with different story published several month back.

“What is known as yellow journalism has been openly carried out by a non-trained individual which is an abuse to the journalism Creed and Code of Conduct of journalists by devastating the image of The New Republic Newspaper” the management said.

It was noticed early Monday morning by a social media blog identified as SAPA TV-Liberia posted in the 2023 Election Platform and circulated on several social media platforms on Sunday, October 23 which claimed that Unity Party’s Standard-bearer and former VicePresident, Joseph Nyumah Boakai told the VOA that Muslims will not be appointed if elected as President.

The poster who is yet to be identified by this entity circulated the fake headline and went viral and has claimed requisite attentionamongst the general public.

Since the posting of what the TNR Management terms as unscrupulous trash, numerous concerns, calls and text messages have been pouring into the offices of the TNR and to its Publisher, Alphonso Toweh and the entire Editorial Board of the entity.

However, The New Republic Newspaper Publisher Toweh noted that the post with such hate message against the Muslim community is false and misleading and only intended to diminish the integrity of his institution which has been hailed as one of the credible media outlets in the country.

He said the poster using copy of the New Republic Newspaper to vent his anger against the UP Standard-bearer is malicious and criminal in nature adding that such individual must be sited by the security to state his intention for such publication.

Mr. Toweh added that the post has the propensity to undermine the integrity and drive away customers from doing business with the New Republic Newspaper which has built its image over the years as evident by its many publications in Liberia. 

The Publisher further noted that the controversy of said paper posted by SAPA TV–LIBERIA is intended to damage the good relationship of the institution with the opposition bloc and the Liberian Government adding that the TNR is there to serve all parties in promoting the democratic process of Liberia.

At the same time, the Management of TNR has cautioned the public not to panic over the paper as it is not into bad publication and has no intention to go against the PUL Code of Conduct and downgrade the reputable atmospheric condition of peace that may lead to tribal and ethnical clashes.

SAPA TV-Liberia post has attracted over 310 comments and 104 reactions with the headline,“No Muslim working in my government” as seen with an image of former VP Boakai circulating on social media.

Management says at no time did TNR publish any form of article of such as its Editorial Board is vehemently opposed to hate messages being carried in the newspaper and is not into yellow journalism.

With the level of concerns, The Stage Media- (a fact checking institution) checked and established that the poster SAPA TV–LIBERIA misled the public to gain better attraction in this political season.

Meanwhile, the Management of The New Republic Newspaper has threatened a legal action against the poster whose full name is yet to be identified.

Management says it will go all out in identifying the unscrupulous individual who is behind such nefarious act intended to bring one of Liberia’s best Newspaper into public disrepute.