Tuesday, November 4 2008

THE Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) is expected to issue a statement today on Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s visiting of Radio 94.1 FM studios two Saturdays ago to complain about remarks made by two broadcasters.

MATT president Marlon Hopkinson was last evening due to chair a meeting of his executive to discuss the incident.

“My initial impression is that I have found it to be strange behaviour. That’s all I want to say at this time. I don’t want to preempt what the executive would want to say,” Hopkinson said, when asked to comment on PM Manning’s visit to the station.

The station’s vice-president (Operation) O’Brien Haynes confirmed to Newsday that the PM did indeed visit the station which is a sister station of Power 102 FM, both of which are owned by the Gillette Group of Companies.

Haynes confirmed: “He paid us a visit last week Saturday. They blocked part of the driveway and put a security presence in place,” he said.

He recalled that the station’s midday newscast included reports on a recent hike in the price of gasoline and in between the stories, the duty broadcaster and announcer gave on air, their own personal opinions about the news item, in breach of the station’s rules and protocol.

“We were wrong to put the comments after the newscast...we should have just presented the news,” Haynes said. He supported the PM’s views that the newscast had been unprofessional journalistic behaviour, saying: “He is right.”

Haynes said the station had taken disciplinary action against the duo, who are now off-air. “They were experienced people and that is why I was offended by the whole matter,” Haynes said.