By Siebo Williams, E-I-C, IPNEWS

Email: siebowilliams881@gmail.com; siebowilliams@yahoo.com

In their book The Elements of Journalism, Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel identify the essential principles and practices of journalism. They go on to highlight the 10 elements common to good journalism, drawn from the book.

According to the book, Journalism’s first obligation is to the Truth. Good decision-making depends on people having reliable, accurate facts put in a meaningful context. Journalism does not pursue truth in an absolute or philosophical sense, but in a capacity that is more down to earth.

“All truths – even the laws of science – are subject to revision, but we operate by them in the meantime because they are necessary and they work,” Kovach and Rosenstiel write in the book.

Journalism, they continue, thus seeks “a practical and functional form of truth.” It is not the truth in the absolute or philosophical or scientific sense but rather a pursuit of “the truths by which we can operate on a day-to-day basis.”

This “journalistic truth” is a process that begins with the professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. Then journalists try to convey a fair and reliable account of their meaning, subject to further investigation.

Journalists should be as transparent as possible about sources and methods so audiences can make their own assessment of the information. Even in a world of expanding voices, “getting it right” is the foundation upon which everything else is built – context, interpretation, comment, criticism, analysis and debate. The larger truth, over time, emerges from this forum.

Its first loyalty is to citizens: The publisher of journalism – whether a media corporation answering to advertisers and shareholders or a blogger with his own personal beliefs and priorities — must show an ultimate allegiance to citizens. They must strive to put the public interest – and the truth – above their own self-interest or assumptions.

A commitment to citizens is an implied covenant with the audience and a foundation of the journalistic business model – journalism provided “without fear or favor” is perceived to be more valuable than content from other information sources.

Commitment to citizens also means journalism should seek to present a representative picture of constituent groups in society. Ignoring certain citizens has the effect of disenfranchising them.

Its essence is a discipline of verification: Journalists rely on a professional discipline for verifying information. While there is no standardized code as such, every journalist uses certain methods to assess and test information to “get it right.”

Being impartial or neutral is not a core principle of journalism. Because the journalist must make decisions, he or she is not and cannot be objective. But journalistic methods are objective.

When the concept of objectivity originally evolved, it did not imply that journalists were free of bias. It called, rather, for a consistent method of testing information – a transparent approach to evidence – precisely so that personal and cultural biases would not undermine the accuracy of the work. The method is objective, not the journalist.

Seeking out multiple witnesses, disclosing as much as possible about sources, or asking various sides for comment, all signal such standards. This discipline of verification is what separates journalism from other forms of communication such as propaganda, advertising, fiction, or entertainment.

Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover: Independence is a cornerstone of reliability.

On one level, it means not becoming seduced by sources, intimidated by power, or compromised by self-interest. On a deeper level it speaks to an independence of spirit and an open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity that helps the journalist see beyond his or her own class or economic status, race, ethnicity, religion, gender or ego.

Journalistic independence, write Kovach and Rosenstiel, is not neutrality. While editorialists and commentators are not neutral, the source of their credibility is still their accuracy, intellectual fairness and ability to inform – not their devotion to a certain group or outcome. In our independence, however, journalists must avoid straying into arrogance, elitism, isolation or nihilism.

It must serve as an independent monitor of power: Journalism has an unusual capacity to serve as watchdog over those whose power and position most affect citizens. It may also offer voice to the voiceless. Being an independent monitor of power means “watching over the powerful few in society on behalf of the many to guard against tyranny,” Kovach and Rosenstiel write.

The earliest journalists firmly established as a core principle their responsibility to examine unseen corners of society. The watchdog role is often misunderstood, even by journalists, to mean “afflict the comfortable.”

The watchdog role also means more than simply monitoring government. “The earliest journalists,” write Kovach and Rosenstiel, “firmly established as a core principle their responsibility to examine unseen corners of society. The world they chronicled captured the imagination of a largely uninformed society, creating an immediate and enthusiastic popular following.”

Finally, the purpose of the watchdog extends beyond simply making the management and execution of power transparent, to making known and understood the effects of that power. This includes reporting on successes as well as failures.

Journalists have an obligation to protect this watchdog freedom by not demeaning it in frivolous use or exploiting it for commercial gain.

It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise: The news media are common carriers of public discussion, and this responsibility forms a basis for special privileges that news and information providers receive from democratic societies.

These privileges can involve subsidies for distribution or research and development (lower postal rates for print, use of public spectrum by broadcasters, development and management of the Internet) to laws protecting content and free speech (copyright, libel, and shield laws).

These privileges, however, are not pre-ordained or perpetual. Rather, they are conferred because of the need for an abundant supply of information. They are predicated on the assumption that journalism – because of its principles and practices – will supply a steady stream of higher quality content that citizens and government will use to make better decisions.

Traditionally, this covenant has been between news organizations and government. The new forms of digital media, however, place a responsibility on everyone who “publishes” content – whether for profit or for personal satisfaction – in the public domain.

The raw material cast into the marketplace of ideas sustains civic dialogue and serves society best when it consists of verified information rather than just prejudice and supposition.

Journalism should also attempt to fairly represent varied viewpoints and interests in society and to place them in context rather than highlight only the conflicting fringes of debate. Accuracy and truthfulness also require that the public discussion not neglect points of common ground or instances where problems are not just identified but also solved.

Journalism, then, is more than providing an outlet for discussion or adding one’s voice to the conversation. Journalism carries with it a responsibility to improve the quality of debate by providing verified information and intellectual rigor. A forum without regard for facts fails to inform and degrades rather than improves the quality and effectiveness of citizen decision-making.

Today, when the world is awash in information and news is available any time everywhere, a new relationship is being formed between the suppliers of journalism and the people who consume it.

The new journalist is no longer a gatekeeper who decides what the public should and should not know. The individual is now his or her own circulation manager and editor. To be relevant, journalists must now verify information the consumer already has or is likely to find and then help them make sense of what it means and how they might use it.

Thus, write Kovach and Rosenstiel, “The first task of the new journalist/sense maker is to verify what information is reliable and then order it so people can grasp it efficiently.” A part of this new journalistic responsibility is “to provide citizens with the tools they need to extract knowledge for themselves from the undifferentiated flood or rumor, propaganda, gossip, fact, assertion, and allegation the communications system now produces.”

With that said, the Five Core Principles of Journalism, Truth and Accuracy; Independence, Fairness and Impartiality; Humanity and Accountability must at all times be applied in the daily of journalists and media practitioners.

Journalists cannot always guarantee ‘truth’, but getting the facts right is the cardinal principle of journalism. Journalists should always strive for accuracy; give all the relevant facts they have and ensure that they have been checked. When they cannot corroborate information, they should say so.

This brings me to the recent wave of broadcasts on some local radio stations, where insinuations over shadowed their discussions that focused on the appointment of a new US Ambassador to Liberia to replacement current Ambassador, Michael A. McCarthy.

Without proper research or seeking experts’ opinions, there were lots of insinuations, misinformation and in some cases disinformation to the general public. There have also been falsehoods where some talk show hosts deliberately stated that Ambassador McCarthy was in fact dismissed due to his “interference into the governance process of Liberia” and also his recent statement against the media when he stated some Liberians home and abroad were using the media space to spew out things that could jeopardize the peace and tranquility in Liberia.

Howbeit, every ambassador that is appointed by the US government, according to what was learned from US State Department, that person may be tasked with a specific mandate like in the case of Ambassador Michael A. McCarthy, during his confirmation hearing before the US Senate, he emphatically stated that his mandate was to help the government of Liberia fight corruption.

And through to that mandate, Liberians are living witnesses that three former Liberian government officials and two current senators were placed on targeted sanctions due to ‘acts of corruption’ in government.

Demystifying The ‘Fable’ That Surrounds US Amb. McCarthy’s End of Tenure in Liberia

Flashback: Ambassador Michael A. McCarthy being sworn in following his confirmation on November 18, 2020

In the last few days, several media outlets, including local radio talk show hosts have insinuated that US President Joe Biden has decided to give Liberians the shock of the year with the sudden announcement that Marck Christopher Toner would be replacing Michael A. McCarthy as US Ambassador to Liberia.

For some Liberians, the soon-to-be outgoing US Ambassador, in the eyes of many, was considered personable and engaging, speaking from the heart on issues that matter. McCarthy, who has been the US top diplomat in Liberia since 2021, has gained attention for speaking firmly against corruption, lapses in the rule of law.

One popular local daily, The Daily OBSERVER writes: “The US Ambassador in the eyes of many was considered personable and engaging, speaking from the heart on issues that matter. In his famous ‘What Would JJ Robert Says’ letter, he boldly critiqued the government for failing to provide basic social services, while allowing corruption to thrive.”

The continues: “However, in the inner cycle of the government, he was thorn in their flesh — growing to become the most popular — and powerful Ambassador in Liberia and probably one of the best the US government had ever sent.”

McCarthy, who for the time being remains US Ambassador, will leave the country if his replacement is confirmed by the US Senate, a process that carries no fixed date.

“The US diplomat regularly rebuked the massive corruption in the public sector and led to Washington sanctioning the top three officials (now out of government) of the Weah-led administration and two senators, under the Global Magnitsky Act, for public corruption,” one local daily writes.

According to some Liberian media outlets, including some Talk Show Hosts, the US Ambassador’s replacement comes less than a week after President George Weah’s visit to the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Headquarters in Virginia.  The discussion surrounding the visit was held behind closed doors. One wonders how those talk show hosts obtained such information when ‘the gag order’ was in effect regarding whatsoever that was discussed at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia never comes out.

McCarthy’s successor, Marck Christopher Toner, is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, just as McCarthy is, and currently serves as the Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy in Paris, France.

Previously, Toner was a senior advisor at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a Senior Faculty Advisor at the National Defense University. Earlier, Toner held positions as the State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson, Acting Spokesperson, and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department’s Bureau of European Affairs.

He has also served as the Director of Press Operations in the Bureau of Public Affairs and Director of Press and Public Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs. Toner was also a spokesman at the U.S. Mission to NATO in Brussels, Belgium.

Prior to joining the State Department, Toner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia, West Africa. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame; a journalism degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and a master’s degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. He also speaks French and Polish.

Ambassadors of the United States of America

According to US States Department website, Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the President to serve as the Country’s diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, their appointment must be confirmed by the United States Senate; while an ambassador may be appointed during a recess, they can serve only until the end of the next session of Congress, unless subsequently confirmed.

Ambassadors are the highest-ranking diplomats of the U.S. and are usually based at the Embassy in the host country. They are under the jurisdiction of the Department of State and answer directly to the Secretary of State; however, ambassadors serve “at the pleasure of the President”, meaning they can be dismissed at any time. Appointments change regularly for various reasons, such as reassignment or retirement.

An ambassador may be a career Foreign Service Officer (Career Diplomat – CD) or a Political Appointee (PA). In most cases, career Foreign Service officers serve a tour of approximately three years per ambassadorship, whereas political appointees customarily tender their resignations upon the inauguration of a new president.

Diplomats are posted to positions abroad for terms of two, three, or four years with stateside stints periodically, but they can be recalled at the discretion of the State Department at any time, US State Department post on its website says.

The Role of a United States Ambassador

US States Department website states: “In most countries with which it has diplomatic relations, the U.S. maintains an Embassy, which usually is located in the host country capital. The U.S. also may have Consulates in other large commercial centers or in dependencies of the country. Several countries have U.S. ambassadors accredited to them who are not resident in the country. In a few special cases–such as when it does not have full diplomatic relations with a country–the U.S. may be represented by only a U.S. Liaison Office or U.S. Interests Section, which may be headed by a Principal Officer rather than a Chief of Mission.”

“The Chief of Mission — with the title of Ambassador, Minister, or Chargé d’Affaires — and the Deputy Chief of Mission head the mission’s ‘Country Team’ of U.S. Government personnel.”

“Responsibilities of Chiefs of Mission at post also include: 

Speaking with one voice to others on U.S. policy–and ensuring mission staff do likewise–while providing to the President and Secretary of State expert guidance and frank counsel; 

Directing and coordinating all executive branch offices and personnel (except for those under the command of a U.S. area military commander, under another chief of mission, or on the staff of an international organization); 

Cooperating with the U.S. legislative and judicial branches so that U.S. foreign policy goals are advanced; security is maintained; and executive, legislative, and judicial responsibilities are carried out; 

Reviewing communications to or from mission elements; 

Taking direct responsibility for the security of the mission — including security from terrorism — and protecting all U.S. Government personnel on official duty (other than those personnel under the command of a U.S. area military commander) and their dependents; 

Carefully using mission resources through regular reviews of programs, personnel, and funding levels; 

Reshaping the mission to serve American interests and values and to ensure that all executive branch agencies attached to the mission do likewise; and 

Serving Americans with professional excellence, the highest standards of ethical conduct, and diplomatic discretion.”

Ambassador Michael A. McCarthy

US Ambassador to Liberia Michael A. McCarthy

Ambassador McCarthy was nominated by President Donald Trump to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Liberia on June 2, 2020. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 18, 2020 as Ambassador to Liberia. His swearing-in ceremony took place on December 9, 2020 in Washington, D.C. Seven months after his nomination, confirmation and swearing-in, Ambassador McCarthy arrived in Liberia on January 6, 2021 to take up his new post, replacing former Ambassador Christian Elder, who left during COVID-19 pandemic period.

Ambassador McCarthy is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor.  Previously, he served as Consul General of the U.S. Consulate General, Johannesburg, South Africa.  He has also served as the Director of the Office of Retirement in the Bureau of Human Resources in the State Department and the Deputy Chief of Mission for Embassy Juba in South Sudan. His demonstrated leadership skills in these positions, coupled with his considerable experience in Africa and his effective engagement with inter-agency partners as a management officer in two very large missions made him an excellent candidate to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia.

Ambassador McCarthy’s earlier assignments include service as the Management Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany; the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India; and the U.S. Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea.  At State Department headquarters, Ambassador McCarthy took up assignments as the Area Management Officer of the East Africa Division in the Office of Overseas Buildings and Operations and as a Country Desk Officer in the Office of West African Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs.  He also served overseas at the U.S. Embassies in Montevideo, Uruguay; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Bangkok, Thailand.

Before joining the Foreign Service, he was the Vice President, Marketing for Compro Systems, Inc., in Baltimore, MD.  He also was a Technical Information Specialist in the Executive Office of the President in addition to serving earlier as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo.

Ambassador McCarthy received his B.S. from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana in 1982.  He is the recipient of multiple State Department performance awards.  He speaks French, Spanish, and Thai.  He has two daughters from a previous marriage and a stepson and stepdaughter with his wife Sandra A. McCarthy.

Did Ambassador McCarthy End His Tenure as Per His Mandate to Fight Corruption Or Is He Being Recalled on Political Grounds?

The United States of America does not just recall their ambassadors for the sake of recalling if that particular envoy did not complete his/her mandate or task given him/her during their time of commissioning before taking up their respective assignments to designated countries. A US Embassy can only be recalled when there is a breach in their mandate or task as given them prior to taking up their respective assignments.

When US former president Donald Trump nominated Amb. Michael A. McCarthy in June 2022 and subsequently sent to the Senate for confirmation, the Ambassador-designate to Liberia, McCarthy at his confirmation hearing stated emphatically that his task in Liberia was to fight the menace called corruption. Corruption is said to have completely eaten every fabric of the Liberian society, with the government of Liberia being the worst hit.

And so Amb. McCarthy hit the ground running in efforts to put the government feet to fire and push it to fight corruption, a menace that has become chronic and destroyed the growth of the West African nation.

The US diplomat is noted for publicly and regularly rebuking the massive corruption in the public sector leading to Washington sanctioning the top three officials (now out of government) of the Weah-led administration and two Senators, under the Global Magnitsky Act, for public corruption.

He is on record asking the Weah-led government to prosecute those sanctioned former and current Liberian government officials because according to him, the records are in public and the government needs to take seize and act accordingly.

He is famously known for what some critics say was purposefully provocative question, “What would J.J. Roberts have to say about Liberia today?” which helped spark a conversation about where this country finds itself 175 years after independence, and 200 years since the arrival of American settlers. On December 9, 2022 on International Anti-Corruption Day, and at the close of the bicentennial year, Amb. McCarthy said he of was of the belief that question may be helpful for Liberians to take another honest look in the mirror.

Even though the US Treasury Department did not announce no new U.S. sanctions on December 9, 2022, Amb. McCarthy assured the Liberian people that his government’s anti-corruption efforts remain robust and continuous. “As the Global Magnitsky sanctions of three Liberian officials in August demonstrated, the U.S. government can and will employ sanctions as needed on an ongoing basis, in support of our shared development, democracy, and security goals, guided by the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption. The all-important goal of transparent, free, credible, and peaceful elections in October will be one important factor in decisions about additional sanctions in the months leading up to the vote.”

Amb. McCarthy in his comments on the Global Magnitsky, or GloMag, said the sanctions are deservedly a hot topic in Liberia. “Some Liberians have urged the United States to implement more sanctions and even proposed names; others have objected that the sanctions process lacks due process. Let me be clear: GloMag is a tool the United States uses to protect itself from particularly corrupt actors, not a punishment against a country or government. It is also in no way a substitute for a domestic judicial process in the host country, including prosecution. Ultimately, ‘due processes’ or an accused’s ‘day in court’ can only happen under Liberian law, in Liberian courts. 

Liberians generally agree with our analysis that corruption is the primary cause of Liberia’s failure to thrive; most in the international community share that assessment. That is why our Department of the Treasury took the extraordinary step of sanctioning five senior Liberian officials in only three years under GloMag. This set of sanctions has led to some positive results, including the resignation of the three most recently sanctioned officials. In our GloMag sanction announcements, Liberians have heard unusually stark language from the Government of the United States regarding the corruption of these individuals. In some cases, Liberians have also heard responses from the sanctioned officials themselves.”

The frank-talking US Ambassador then advised Liberians saying, “In the upcoming 2023 elections, however, it will be the turn of the people of Liberia to let their voices be heard on this topic, especially since several of those sanctioned officials may be running for office. Ultimately, it is Liberians and not the U.S. government that are responsible for ensuring good governance in Liberia. Sanctions can help, but the ballot box is a far more important tool for holding officials accountable. If Liberians choose to elect or re-elect sanctioned officials as their leaders, that will send a very clear signal about how they truly feel about the fight against corruption and the future of their country.”

Commenting on how Liberia can fight corruption during his tenure, Ambassador McCarthy stated: “As I’ve said many times before, corruption is not a uniquely Liberian problem – it is a global issue, and one that we suffer from in the United States at all levels of governance. However, today, on International Anti-Corruption Day, December 9, 2022 it is worth considering what more Liberians can do to fight this scourge. I believe there are many urgent steps the government of Liberia can take now to fight corruption that require no international assistance, many of which are in fact already enshrined in law. Fully funding Liberia’s integrity institutions, publishing the names of public officials who fail to comply with asset declarations, making information on all legislative votes and actions easily accessible to the public, and reducing funding for government agencies that do not comply with annual financial reporting requirements, are but a few examples. But there are many others.”

“On today of all days, December 9, 2023 we must together acknowledge that corruption in Liberia can be immediately and dramatically curtailed BY LIBERIANS, without any assistance from the United States or other donors, if that is something the government and people of Liberia truly want. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! I commend all Liberians who are truly committed to this noble effort.”

Just a weeks ago, there was an impactful visit of the State Department’s Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator Richard Nephew and USAID’s Anti-Corruption Task Force Executive Director Shannon Green to Liberia, all in the same direction to urge the Liberian government to do more its fight against corruption. This is a clear indication and to support Amb. McCarthy as he undertakes his mandate in the fight against corruption in Liberia.

After two years and two months (January 2021 to March 2023), one can clearly see that Amb. McCarthy has completed his task in regards to the fight against corruption, evidenced with the sanctioning of some corrupt former and current government officials, and also the two US Anti-Corruption officials who visited recently stated that there are more sanctions in waiting for Liberian government officials whose corrupt activities are being investigated by the US Treasury Department.

Incoming US Ambassador Marck Christopher Toner

The newly-nominated Unites States Ambassador to Liberia Marck Christopher Toner

United States foreign policy towards a given country never changes no matter whether it is Democrats or the Republicans at the White House or dominate the US Congress. What differs at times may be the methodology in pursuing those foreign policy agendas set out for a given country.

So this brings to mind the incoming US ambassador to Liberia, Marck Christopher Toner, who like Amb. Michael A. McCarthy, is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, just as McCarthy is, and currently serves as the Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy in Paris, France.

Previously, Toner was a senior advisor at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a Senior Faculty Advisor at the National Defense University. Earlier, Toner held positions as the State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson, Acting Spokesperson, and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department’s Bureau of European Affairs.

He has also served as the Director of Press Operations in the Bureau of Public Affairs and Director of Press and Public Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs. Toner was also a spokesman at the U.S. Mission to NATO in Brussels, Belgium.

Prior to joining the State Department, Toner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia, West Africa. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame; a journalism degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and a master’s degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. He also speaks French and Polish.

Will Incoming US Amb. Marck Christopher Toner Have a New Mandate?

Diplomatic sources have hinted that Amb. Michael A. McCarthy have brilliantly undertaken his task to fight corruption which led to the identification of some corrupt Liberian government officials, and reports say there are more names whose alleged corrupt activities in the Liberian government are been scrutinized and investigated for subsequent sanctioning by the US government.

According to the diplomatic sources, the newly nominated US Ambassador to Liberia, March Christopher Toner, judging from his background with focus on security intelligence and the military, he may be given a more robust mandate if he is commissioned as Ambassador to Liberia.

With the US focus on China and Russia wanting to infiltrate and dominate the West Africa basin with the Sahel in the beckoning, where terrorism is blooming, the Diplomatic sources hinted that the US is concerned with Liberia being a vulnerable country could be infiltrated where these activities can take roots against US interests. The drug trade of Southern and Latin America that targets Europe see Liberia also as a vulnerable country that can easily be used as transit point to convey their products to Europe, and these drug trade monies are reportedly used to finance terrorism, which the US government has resolved to crushed at all levels.

The diplomatic sources hint that with McCarthy completing his mission to Liberia, now is the implementation stage, which is why a new Ambassador with an astute security intelligence and military background has been nominated to head a new mandate as US Ambassador to Liberia.

History tells mankind that the Unites States Government has always tactically and strategically conducted is foreign policy in a given country based on the realities that are afoot, and Liberia is no different, that is why for those media houses and talk show hosts, who have been insinuating, while others have deliberately spread falsehood, misinformation and disinformation about US Ambassador to Liberia, Michael A. McCarthy being dismissed, in my mind did a disservice to their listening audiences, knowing fully well that Liberia nowadays is more of a listening culture society rather than a reading culture society.

It is only a matter of time after the newly-nominated US Ambassador to Liberia, Marck Christopher Toner, after senate confirmation and commission by State Department or the White House takes up assignment, Liberians will get to know that Unites States of America foreign policy towards a given country never changes until their mission is complete, and how incoming Ambassador Toner will hit the ground running will crown it all.