MONROVIA – Former Information Minister Ledgerhood Julius Rennie has thrown his weight behind Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe’s strong condemnation of what he termed “mercenary journalism” in Liberia, calling on the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) to act decisively on the matter.
Speaking Thursday, September 11, 2025, in response to Cllr. Gongloe’s public statement, Rennie praised the veteran lawyer and human rights advocate for openly addressing the issue. “I watched with keen interest the social media video montage by venerable Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe bemoaning what he called ‘mercenary journalism’ being practiced by some Liberian journalists,” Rennie said. “First, I like to thank him for his open engagement and attempt at exposing such a very unethical and unprofessional practice within the journalism ranks.”
Rennie, who served as Liberia’s Information Minister, described Gongloe as someone who has “earned that towering posture to dare criticize journalists,” citing the lawyer’s long-standing defense of press freedom, freedom of expression, and democratic pluralism, often at great personal cost.
However, Rennie expressed disappointment that neither the PUL nor its affiliates had issued a public statement in response to Gongloe’s concerns. “It’s been more than 48 hours since the learned counselor came public with his concern. I was of the opinion that either the Press Union of Liberia or affiliates of the PUL would have had a public say about the issue raised. As of this writing, neither the PUL nor its affiliates have said anything publicly about what I believe is a very grave matter,” Rennie lamented.
He noted that many journalists privately agree with Gongloe’s assessment but remain reluctant to openly condemn their colleagues who engage in unprofessional practices. “If we hold the public trust as society’s gatekeepers, then we must come clean when we too fall afoul of such trust. It is only but the responsible and honorable thing to do,” Rennie stressed.
Cllr. Gongloe, in his September 9 statement titled “Mercenary Journalism — A Threat to Liberia’s Progress,” warned that journalism in Liberia risks being undermined by cash-for-content politics. He argued that when journalists “sell a pen or a microphone to the highest bidder” to attack opponents or glorify leaders, they turn propaganda into news and erode democratic accountability.
“Mercenary journalism is dangerous because it turns lies into headlines and truth into a casualty,” Gongloe declared. “It makes bad leaders look good and good leaders look bad. It poisons public debate, undermines fair competition, and weakens already fragile institutions.”
The renowned lawyer called for zero tolerance of pay-to-publish practices, stricter newsroom ethics enforcement, citizen support for clean media, and transparency from public officials regarding media payments.
Rennie concluded by urging the PUL to investigate and act on repeated complaints of unethical practices in Liberia’s media sector. “There are too many complaints about media malpractices in the public realm that go unaddressed. The PUL must not wait for formal complaints. We know what the problems are and should vigorously try to address them,” he said.
Both Gongloe and Rennie emphasized that Liberia’s democracy cannot thrive without a principled and independent press that upholds truth, accountability, and integrity.
