Prime Minister Gaston Browne has accused Observer Radio of censoring news coverage and intentionally blocking positive stories about his administration, in what he described as a betrayal of the media outlet’s founding principles.
During his weekly broadcast on Pointe FM, Browne claimed that the current management of Observer Media Group, including hosts Serpent and Dave Lester Payne, had instructed staff not to report favourable news related to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) or the Office of the Prime Minister.
“They have given instructions to their staff not to carry any article that is positive about the Prime Minister,” Browne said. “They ban the banax and they ban Max. That’s censorship and bias at its worst.”
The Prime Minister noted that his government had previously acted in the interest of press freedom by allowing the acquisition of Observer’s equipment when the company faced bankruptcy. He said his administration did not interfere with the transaction, even though the state had outstanding debts owed by the media group.
“We could have blocked them. We could have taken over in satisfaction of government debt. And we said no,” Browne stated. “We facilitated the sale at a fraction of the station’s value, and now they’re using it to attack the very government that helped keep it alive.”
Browne warned that the editorial direction of Observer Radio was contributing to staff dissatisfaction and undermining public confidence in the media. “They keep losing staff because most of the news comes from government and they’re being told not to carry it,” he said.
The Prime Minister also took aim at what he called “vitriolic rhetoric” on Observer’s airwaves, arguing that such practices were damaging the station’s credibility and alienating listeners.
There has been no public response from Observer Media Group to the Prime Minister’s accusations.
