Groups representing 18,000 publications across the globe have added their voice to those calling for Premier Ewart Brown to avoid using official advertising as a weapon to pressurise the independent media.

The World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum, which fight for press freedom, have written to the Premier in response to Cabinet's withdrawal of advertising in The Royal Gazette.

The letter, penned by WAN president Gavin O'Reilly and WEF president George Brock, points out that Government has not explained how it arrived at its decision that electronic media is a more effective means of reaching the public.

Announcing the move three months ago, Cabinet said it was a cost-cutting measure and said it spent $800,000 on print media advertising in the last fiscal year.

However, Dr. Brown has repeatedly refused to reveal the methodology behind the decision, with critics, including Progressive Labour Party MPs, members and supporters, saying the real reason is that he wants to destabilise this newspaper for political reasons.

Government continues to advertise with other print media, while organisations standing to benefit from the shift toward radio and on-line advertising include Government backbencher Glenn Blakeney's Hott 107.5, which Dr. Brown has publicly praised for its pro-PLP bias.

WAN and WEF's letter states: "We are seriously concerned that the advertising ban, cancellation of subscriptions and removal of sponsorship from The Royal Gazette may have been politically motivated."

It points out the ban was announced immediately after this newspaper celebrated Sunshine Week and highlighted the importance of transparency through its A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign.

"While accepting that no Government is obliged to advertise in a particular publication, we believe that the Government has a responsibility to make sure that its advertisements reach the widest possible audience and provide value for money for the taxpayer," it continues.

"The Royal Gazette has by far the greatest reach of any news outlet in Bermuda and as such is a natural choice for advertising.

"We respectfully call on you to reconsider the advertising ban on The Royal Gazette and to ensure that advertising is not used as a weapon to pressurise independent media with whom the authorities do not agree."

Meanwhile, further criticism of Government's "discrimination" in its distribution of official advertising has come from the Inter American Press Association.

The group also attacked Dr. Brown's response to its initial remarks in April — saying he has provided no factual support for his decision.

In a press release, IAPA states: "IAPA today reiterated its criticism of the Government of Bermuda for continuing to discriminate in the distribution of official advertising, an action to which the local newspaper The Royal Gazette has been subjected for the past three months, and called on the authorities there instead to apply objective and transparent criteria in deciding where such advertising should be placed.

"When the Bermuda Government announced in March that it would no longer be advertising in The Royal Gazette, claiming it was a "cost-cutting" measure, the IAPA sent a note to (Prime Minister) Ewart Brown calling such discrimination contrary to freedom of the press and requesting a reversal of the action against the nation's leading newspaper and the only one to be subjected to it.

"Brown told the IAPA in reply that The Royal Gazette had received official advertising during the last fiscal year but it had been decided that the Government would now use less costly media outlets, giving priority to on-line media with greater penetration in the country.

"But he provided no factual support for this posture. The Government denied that the action had been taken in reprisal for the newspaper's critical editorial stance.

"The chairman of the IAPA's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Gonzalo Marroquin, declared that 'the reasons for the Government's action must be transparent and be based on independent sources and not on mere subjective opinions, meaning that public funds or resources will be handled efficiently'."