PAL Elects New Leadership Today

PAL Elects New Leadership Today

By: Godgift Harris

The Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL) will today August 1, 2025, conduct its leadership election at the headquarters of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) on Clay Street in Monrovia.

 The Chairman of the PAL Elections Commission,  Carlton Boah,  has urged all media professionals to uphold the highest standards of ethics, professionalism and responsibility.

Mr. Boah, a seasoned journalist and Publisher of In Profile Daily Newspaper, made the appeal during a highly anticipated electoral debate held on Tuesday, July 29, which drew dozens of journalists, publishers, and media stakeholders to the PUL offices. 

The event was marked by robust discourse, policy exchanges, and a clear show of democratic enthusiasm within the country’s publishing community.

“We are grateful to all journalists who came to witness and report on this important democratic process,” Boah stated. “We want to see the welfare of reporters improve at all levels. 

Your engagement today shows your unwavering commitment to the advancement of Liberia’s media landscape,” he stressed.

Chairman Boah emphasized that the PAL upcoming election must reflect integrity, openness, and inclusiveness. 

He assured stakeholders that the Elections Commission is committed to conducting a credible and transparent electoral process that reflects the values and mission of the Association.

“This election is more than a routine leadership transition,” Boah asserted. 

“It is a reaffirmation of our collective values as publishers and defenders of press freedom.

 We are choosing not just a leader, but the path our Association will take into the future,” he noted.

The election has attracted prominent figures within the publishing industry, including the Publisher of The New Republic and the Publisher of Women Voices Newspapers, both widely respected for their journalistic contributions and advocacy.

 These candidates have committed to a platform of reform, transparency and institutional revitalization.

During the debate, each candidate laid out their visions for a stronger PAL, focusing on unity among publishers, institutional reforms, including capacity-building for young journalists and increasing the Association’s role in holding the government accountable through investigative and public-interest journalism.

Some of the proposals included, expanding professional training opportunities for journalists across the country, creating welfare programs for reporters, especially those working in rural communities, strengthening ties with regional and international media organizations, lobbying for improved legal protections for the press, ensuring transparency and inclusiveness in PAL’s internal operations.

The candidates’ firm stances on these issues were well received by attendees, many of whom expressed hope that the next administration will actively tackle longstanding challenges within the industry.

Meanwhile, Chairman Boah has been credited for breathing new life into the Publishers Association over the last few years. 

Under his guidance, PAL has led initiatives aimed at unifying publishers, advocating for fairer government media policies and pushing for better working conditions for journalists nationwide.

His leadership has also been marked by a renewed partnership between PAL and institutions like the Press Union of Liberia, civil society groups, and international media development organizations. 

These collaborations have yielded several workshops, advocacy forums and press freedom campaigns in recent years.

Assisting Boah in managing the election process are members of the Election Commission, including Edwin Clark and Victoria Wesseh, both of whom are regarded as committed advocates of media transparency and governance.

As election day nears, anticipation is building among media stakeholders, observers, and civil society groups, all of whom are closely monitoring the process.

 Many see the PAL election not only as an internal matter for the Association but as a broader test of democratic maturity within the Liberian media space.

Media experts argue that a free, fair, and peaceful election will send a strong message to national and international observers that Liberia’s press is serious about accountability, professionalism, and democratic governance.

“The courage to contest for leadership in this Association speaks volumes about your passion for the growth and sustainability of the media sector in our country,” Boah noted during the debate.

 “We must keep this energy alive as we head to the polls.”

The Publishers Association of Liberia, which serves as the umbrella body for newspaper and magazine publishers across the country, continues to play a crucial role in defending press freedom and promoting journalistic excellence.

Through its ongoing advocacy, PAL has helped to shape national conversations on access to information, government transparency and media reforms.

 The organization remains a critical pillar in the country’s media ecosystem, especially as Liberia navigates complex political, economic, and social transitions.

As voting day approaches, all eyes are now on the PUL headquarters, where members of the publishing community are expected to cast their ballots in what many are calling a defining moment for the future of Liberian journalism.

The outcome of Today’s election could set the tone for PAL’s leadership for years to come, ushering in a new era of professionalism, policy engagement, and institutional growth.

Notwithstanding, technocrats / workforce serving various publishers continue to decry poor remunerations from their bosses. Many reporters receive very low wages which do not come regularly from most of the media entities.

 

The Association itself has not been able to reach a consensus on a uniformed rate sheet or cost of advertisement that would make clients to know that the Association can speak with one voice.

Moreover, a stumbling block which does not seem to go down well with some publishers is the so-called ‘Big Fish’ segment within the Association that often portrays a controlling power of other members in negotiating with state power on media-related issues.

Members of the ‘Big Fish’ segment have usually been accused of securing advertisements from every regime in power to do public relations, even if  there are semblances of bad governance  attached to the regime.