Public Media and the Fight Against Drugs: Less Slogans, More Truth

Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed has called on public media outlets to abandon institutionalized communication and superficial slogans in their coverage of the escalating drug trafficking crisis. Addressing leaders of public television, radio, news agencies, and print media, Saïed urged them to intensify campaigns against what he described as an endemic problem affecting thousands of Tunisian families.

Saïed emphasized the critical role of national media during this period, stressing the necessity for them to be "a free voice, carrying courageous words." He criticized the current approach, which he feels often resorts to repetitive, unconvincing messages broadcast between advertisements. This method, he argued, fails to resonate with the reality faced by worried mothers, concerned teachers, and young people struggling with addiction.

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A free voice, carrying courageous words.

The president believes that the current communication strategy trivializes a serious issue and presents a public service that merely fulfills obligations rather than providing meaningful support. He called for a shift towards reporting that is "free and courageous, in the service of truth," requiring newsrooms to actively seek out and convey the real stories of those involved in combating drug abuse.

Saïed wants public media to feature the voices of affected families, dedicated addiction specialists, street educators, and young people undergoing rehabilitation who are willing to share their experiences. He believes these authentic narratives, rather than anonymous figures or generic messages, will lend genuine conviction and impact to the anti-drug campaigns, urging a move from "less slogans, more truth."

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This conviction confirms the ongoing erosion of freedom of expression and assembly and the further shrinking of the space for independent civil society in Hong Kong.