Editor, RE: “Media houses must endeavour to maintain high ethical standards” (The New Times, November 5). The basic error we make here is to assume France24’s intention was to inform when their track record on Rwanda reportage, as well as that of many of their fellow major media organizations, with a few honorable exceptions now and then, demonstrates they are more often hell-bent on misinformation and disinformation. There was no error involved; they were looking for anything no matter how trivial or far-fetched they could spin to make their public believe anything that could stain Rwanda’s reputation. In other words, they were just fulfilling their role as the information war tool of the French state—nothing more, nothing less. And, by the way, why do we believe they are an “international news organisation” when they are nothing more than a wholly-owned entity at the service of its owners, the Government of France? Just because they have the resources to broadcast or disseminate their owner’s message across large parts of the globe in order to try to influence perceptions in those parts? Their reach does not necessarily make them an international news organisation—they remain completely parochial in composition and mission. We should never forget these basic facts. Mwene Kalinda
