Ms Judith McHale, U.S Under Secretary of State for Public Affairs on Monday appealed to World leaders to develop the political will and allow the media to operate fully in a free and independent environment to ensure all forms of development.
She said nations and societies would be stronger and more resilient to develop if there were independent and free media operating in those areas and gave the assurance that the United States would continue to work with other world leaders to achieve total media freedom and independence.
Ms McHale was addressing participants of the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) for Journalists in Washington DC, USA on Monday.
The three-week Edward R. Murrow programme for Journalists brought together some 150 emerging leaders in the field of journalism from around the world to examine journalistic practices in the United States.
She said the importance of free and independent media could not be over emphasised and that most of the industrialised countries developed based on the independence and freedom of the press, which shaped the destinies of those societies and their peoples.
She said it was difficult for leaders to speak of free and independent media when they assumed leadership positions, saying "When you are in government it looks different when it comes to the role of the media because the perception is that if you advocate for free and independent media it might turn against you."
She advised media practitioners, especially those in countries of press freedom not to use their profession for divisive reportage but should guard against the curtailment of freedom of the media.
On the mid-term elections in the United States, she promised free and fair elections and that the US is an advocate of open elections and would not do anything to deviate from that to dent its image.
Mr Charles Overby, Chairman of Freedom Forum of the United States, commended Ghana, Mali and Chad for being the only countries in Africa with a greater degree of press freedom.
He said "Ghana, Mali and Chad are Green in the chart of the World Press Freedom Countries in Newseum, which means that there is no state control or regulation of the media."
Mr Overby who is also the Chief Executive of the US Newseum, spoke on the topic, "The future of Journalism" and stressed the need for newspapers to charge for their news and materials on their web sites.
She said the Internet had provided the means for people to read news content freely, which was making newspapers sale and circulation to decline and that if nothing was done about it the future of newspapers would be in danger.
He said though modern media technology would not kill newspapers, "The greatest threat is giving away news content for free on the Internet. The newspapers and wire service providers should device means of charging users because online news is not supposed to be free."
He advised journalists not to meddle in politics because journalists who are actively involved in politics cannot adhere to accurate, fair and balance reportage and would be doing a disservice to the journalism profession.
From Caesar Abagali, GNA Special Correspondent, Washington DC-USA