VZCZCXRO5734
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHGR #0064 1941238
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 131238Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY GRENADA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0584
INFO RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 0586
RUEHGR/AMEMBASSY GRENADA 0678

UNCLAS GRENADA 000064 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV GJ
SUBJECT: GRENADA'S MEDIA STRUGGLES 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Grenada, which endured the experience of media 
censorship during the "revolutionary" era from 1979-1983, 
continues to struggle with the concept of a free press. 
Grenada's media workers often choose to side with one political 
party or the other; it's easy and often rewarding.  Those who 
try to remain unbiased say privately that they are afraid to 
criticize the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government 
because of increasing government criticism of local media 
workers.  The statement by the Minister of Health in early 2009 
that journalists who are critical of the government should be in 
jail and the May 29 detention of radio personality Allan 
Campbell as a threat to airport security because he urged 
Grenadians not to go to the May 30 airport re-naming ceremony, 
have exacerbated media jitters.  The deliberate destruction in 
late June of the antenna of the radio station which carries 
Campbell's program is rumored to have been sanctioned by the 
government.  End summary 
 
¶2. (SBU) Three incidents in 2009 have led non-partisan 
journalists to back away from openly criticizing the government. 
 In January, the Minister for Health on national television said 
that journalists or media workers who criticize the government 
belong in jail.  When asked to apologize, he first claimed it 
was a joke and when that did not wash with the public he gave 
what seemed to be a half-hearted apology.   The Minister, who 
has no background in the health care field, continued to lash 
out at his critics for several months, but has completely 
disappeared from public view. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The second incident occurred on May 29 when 
controversial radio broadcaster and New National Party (NNP) 
supporter, Allan Campbell was arrested and questioned about a 
broadcast in which he urged Grenadians to avoid the May 30 
re-naming ceremony at the airport.  The GOG accused Campbell of 
possibly planning to plant a bomb or otherwise disrupt the 
event.  Campbell's lawyer was able to secure his release after 
forty-five minutes of questioning.  The third incident occurred 
in late June, when the antenna of the radio station that 
broadcasts Campbell's show was destroyed.  Given the location of 
the antenna in the Grand Etang National Forest and the fact that 
the station does not broadcast full time, the destruction was 
not discovered immediately. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment: During the New National Party (NNP) 
governments from 1995-2008, the government had a love-hate 
relationship with the media.  Government officials sought out 
the media to trumpet its programs and successes but, as the 
years went by, the media increasingly soured on the government. 
One local editor made it his life's work to destroy Prime 
Minister Keith Mitchell, printing articles heavy on innuendo and 
with the occasional outright lie.  Mitchell more than once took 
newspaper/media owners and journalists to court and based on 
strict local slander and libel laws, won cases requiring them to 
pay him substantial damages, though he has rarely been able to 
collect.  When the PM announced elections for July 8, 2008, any 
pretence of balance or objectivity disappeared.  A number of 
local media workers openly campaigned for opposition NDC 
candidates, slanted coverage of campaign rallies, and joined 
party leaders onstage for the NDC victory celebrations.  Unlike 
in previous cases when the NNP government detained or harassed a 
media worker, the politically far left Media Workers Association 
of Grenada (MWAG) has remained silent.  One reporter expressed 
disappointment to the Charge d'Affaires that MWAG has said 
nothing about the detention but noted that the current MWAG 
president is an ardent National Democratic Congress supporter. 
He added that the arrest has kept Grenadian media workers who 
try to maintain a balanced approach to the political parties 
from speaking out in support of Campbell. 
 
MCISAAC