Premier to task over his attack on the media.

Last Friday, Sir John told the House of Assembly that TV stations were in danger of losing their licences.

And he demanded that the names of those who write letters to The Royal Gazette Editor be published.

Mr. Jensen, however, told Paget Lions Club that Sir John's comments were cause for concern.

"Effectively, he is suggesting a way of stifling opinion. We have already seen two attacks upon people who have given opinions contrary to the Premier's. So too with the media.'' He added: "Dropping the hint in the House of Assembly of taking a media licence, which would put the electronic media out of business, must be construed as a way of trying to bring them into line.

"Why mention a veiled threat during the Independence position papers' debate if it isn't meant to bring the media to heel? Obviously, there's a problem tolerating criticism.'' Mr. Jensen said people should ask themselves what Sir John's threats meant to Bermuda.

"If press freedom is to be nibbled away at now, we must ask: How much freedom of the press will be tolerated in an independent Bermuda? "History is filled with people who have supported a free press and those who have not.'' One well-known figure, describing ideas as "more fatal than guns'', had questioned why a Government convinced it was doing right should allow itself to be criticised, said Mr. Jensen at the meeting at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club.

That person was Nikolai Lenin.

"There appears to be the need for a new role -- new to Bermuda anyway -- for the newspapers to protect the freedom of the press.

" The Royal Gazette , you might say, really gets into problems. To some extent it does, and that will always be part of its role in the community -- giving opinions, asking the difficult questions, making the tough decisions on what to print, and being a part of our readers' daily learning experience.'' Mr. Jensen said newspapers traditionally played a role educating adults, as well as youths.

"For many of us, education meant attending primary and secondary school. To the extent that learning is only associated with school days is to be part of a generation that knew how to be taught, but not how to learn.

"Newspapers are constantly involved with the developing person who is interested in fresh information, news and opinion every publication day.'' Mr. Jensen explained the editorial columns in The Royal Gazette and its sister paper, Mid-Ocean News , were vehicles for the editors to express their opinions as "independent observers of the community''.

"No editor reports to me or the board of directors on his opinion. Many of those involved in politics want to confuse the two in the public's mind.'' Mr. Jensen said newspapers had a wide-ranging function -- taking on the role of employer, manufacturer, and corporate citizen supportive of the economic progress of the Island.

"Certainly, we support residents' spending in Bermuda because the whole economy benefits, both small and large businesses, service industries and even the Government tax collection systems.'' He added newspapers needed to be profitable, thereby ensuring their freedom.

This in turn underpinned the individual's freedom.

"Millions of dollars have been reinvested in the operation over the years to bring you a first class newspaper,'' he said, referring to The Royal Gazette .