Editorial Staff
24/10/2022

Editorial Staff
24/10/2022

Murdoch’s resignation unfortunate…Observer journalists are walking on eggshells”…Peter Wickham

Regional Pollster Peter Wickham says the resignation of Big Issues host and producer Keiron Murdoch is unfortunate but not surprising, bearing in mind the standoff between Observer and Prime Minister Gaston Browne, especially recently.

Murdoch tendered his resignation on Saturday night after he was reportedly asked to pull the last segment of his Sunday program. The final leg of the popular show was an interview with Prime Minister Browne about his cash handouts.

But Wickham told an interview with Antigua. news that most people would have been happy to hear PM Browne on the show, “and I believe the position Observer has taken of hostility is most unfortunate although not surprising bearing in mind the organization is lead by a political adversary”

Wickham said there must be a line between politics and the need for an independent media to remain fully independent “and I kind of hoped that this would happen but it is fairly clear now that this is not going to be the case”

Furthermore, Wickham said no journalist should be pushed to resign because of situations like these.

“I believe that regardless of who owns the station, journalists have the right to operate with a certain level of independence. Unfortunately, he had to walk away from this,” Wickham said.

Based on past interviews and interactions, Wickham said not only is Murdoch competent but also very professional, not one to have taken political sides.

“He has handled that program and he has navigated some very tempestuous waters and has not taken political sides and I believe that is commendable,” Wickham said.

Adding, “I have every respect professionally for Murdoch. I believe he is an outstanding journalist, he has interviewed me on several occasions and I have no reason to believe that he has had a view one way or the other. I think his effort to seek balance in this matter is commendable. Sadly it hasn’t worked out…I think the stance he has taken on this occasion to walk away as distinct from allowing his interview to be altered is commendable,” Wickham added.

Meanwhile, Wickham believes that the voice of the prime minister would be critical, especially on the matter of cash handouts.

“To hear his voice generally within the Observer space would have been a good thing…on issues like these the voice of the prime minister is critical…” he said

The matter however may not move the political needle one way or the other according to the regional pollster but he says it places Observer on the “back foot”.

“The public of Antigua and Barbuda understands the challenge of Observer. They also understand the political challenge that the ABLP faces. I think they expect there to be some level of hostility and I don’t know that they are surprised when they see this. I don’t know that it has hampered the prime minister in one way or the other. I think the fact that he was willing to go and speak to Murdoch would have been a good thing for him and people would have seen that in a good light but the fact that it hasn’t happened has put Observer on the backfoot,” Wickham added.

As far as the broader journalistic community is concerned, Wickham said reporters at Observer know that they are “walking on eggshells”.

“There are journalists at Observer that you may have assumptions about their political allegiance. Some are viewed in different ways and the people who work there understand the politically charged environment in which they work. I would say that most of them tread cautiously anyhow. Some journalists who work at OBSERVER would probably not have attempted to schedule an interview like that in the first place and I think that’s rather unfortunate…” he said

Educator Cleon Athill, also added her voice to the debate, saying that she saw no harm in “Keiron hauling the prime minister before for the public to give account”

She said “I trust Keiron’s intellect, political savvy, integrity, professionalism, and non-partisan stance to conduct the interview in a way that will move us along a path towards better conduct in governance and government,”.

Athill who has appeared on the Big Issues program several times says the resignation of Murdoch is a loss to Observer and democracy in Antigua and Barbuda.

8 Comments

  1. Davidson

    It is indeed unfortunate, but hey even Stevie Wonder can see Observer is no longer balanced, but who can blame them, they are run by political aspirants.

    Reply
  2. Real Talk

    Serpent is a CRY CRY BABY SNAKE! what is he so afraid of? Gemma and Darren better watch it. Good thing Kadeem move on to a real workplace.

    Reply
    • Too bad

      Leave serp alone. People are doing what they have to do to protect their investment. Damn it!

      Reply
    • Still Water

      Real Talk, have you heard all the things that Gaston has said about OBSERVER? Do you think SERPENT would be put on any program on Point FM? You better get up to date with all that’s happening in Antigua. He says his Radio Station has the widest listenership. If that is the case, why the hell he wants to be heard on Observer. A bad wind never blow.

      Reply
      • Sharon

        You’re so right Peter need to go and worry about his country affairs and mind his business. Who would want Gaston in their house when he was the one wanted to destroy them? Antigua brainwashed people just talk a bag or trash. So let the GOVERNMENT radio and tv stations go and do some real investigative journalism and don’t worry about observer. They’re worried who’s Gaston want to show the brainless people that nobody stop from going to the station while he has full control of abs Antigua Bullshit Station and wow pointe fm? Peter just like the Bible can’t be trusted Whats his agenda inquiring minds wants to know. Let the Murdock person go and have the interview on the radio station he will be working on shortly. Tom drunk but Tom no fool

  3. Anonymous

    Peter Wickham has so much skeleton in his closet. Where he gets time to mind other people’s business?

    Reply
  4. Lionel Hurst

    The issue of bribery is a concoction by the UPP. All the elements required to show bribery are absent. No agreement to exchange money for a specific act; no request to seek an outcome in exchange for money; no quid pro quo.
    The whole farce was concocted by the UPP and no-one believed it. A charitable act is not a bribe.
    Besides, the UPP has been boasting of “pulling up”, then posting photos with those whom they have benefitted by handing them small sums of money. Their purchases were intended to persuade the shopkeepers to support them. That can reasonably be deemed a bribe. It’s purpose can easily be discerned and money (though small) has been exchanged.
    While they accuse an ABLP candidate, the UPP has failed to examine its own behavior.
    I am not surprised that the UPP has failed to look inward. This is the same party that sought to end media freedom by its attack on ZDK after it became government. The urge to close shut the mouths of persons opposed to it is legendary.
    In March, the same narrow minded owner/manager announced that he banned me from Observer Radio. It ended more than three years of intense questioning every Monday for 30 minutes by an intellectually gifted host. How could that interaction justify his undemocratic and autocratic response.
    While Handy spoke publicly against the action, others remained silent. It would happen to them too. It is in the nature of their party, a significant personality trait which many of their candidates and parliamentarians displayed. They all threatened to jail and deprive Labour Party officials of their freedom. Quacks and charlatans all! They are destined to lose. Hurst

    Reply
    • Ashely

      Everything has to be about politics? Shit man! Give it a break!

      Reply

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