Via the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, a likely explanation for the lack of local cholera coverage in Haitian media: Haitian journalists face constant retaliation from government: Report. Excerpt:
Journalists in Haiti critical of the government constantly face intimidation and are blocked access to official sources, according to a recent report from the University of San Francisco’s School of Law and the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti.
The report found that, since President Michel Martelly took office in May 2011, journalists are the targets of regular threats, the destruction of work equipment and government retaliation for critical reporting.
Besides often being denied interviews with officials or access to information, journalists face “defamation lawsuits with criminal sanctions, and license revocation, in addition meager salaries and lack of training opportunities,” an IJDH press release said.
Even though the report notes that the situation of the press in Haiti is notably better than under previous governments, the current trend has “created an atmosphere of fear and a chilling effect on journalists’ freedom of expression,” the press release said.
