Rodney Sieh

{{Short description|Liberian newspaper editor}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rodney Sieh

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Liberian

| other_names =

| known_for =

| occupation = Journalist

| organization = FrontPage Africa

}}

Rodney Sieh is a Liberian newspaper editor. In 2005, he founded FrontPage Africa. Originally an online-only publication, the newspaper began to print daily copies in 2008, expanding to a circulation of 1,500, which were collated and folded manually.{{cite web |url=http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/liberia-front-page-africa-investigative-newspaper-print |title=Liberia: FrontPage Africa, an Investigative Daily |first=Jina |last=Moore |date=19 March 2012 |publisher=The Pulitzer Center |access-date=23 September 2012}}

FrontPage Africa, Sieh, and reporter Samwar Fallah were sued for libel in 2010 by Christopher Toe, a former Agriculture Minister, who demanded US$2 million in damages; the newspaper had reported that he had embezzled millions of dollars from public funds. The World Association of Newspapers issued a statement on the paper's behalf, stating that while it had no opinion on the merits of the case itself, the amount sought was clearly punitive.{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-221768105.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152208/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-221768105.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |title=WAN-IFRA condemns libel judgement in Liberia |date=19 March 2010 |publisher=World Association of Newspapers |via=HighBeam Research|access-date=23 September 2012}} The three parties were found guilty and ordered to pay the full amount.{{cite web |url=http://www.ifex.org/liberia/2011/03/01/fine_upheld/ |title=Court upholds fine against "Frontpage Africa" newspaper in libel case |date=25 February 2011 |publisher=International Freedom of Expression Exchange|url-status=live|archivedate=6 November 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106221938/http://ifex.org/liberia/2011/03/01/fine_upheld/ |access-date=23 September 2012}}

In July 2011, Sieh was notified by a government official that former government minister Willis Knuckles was attempting to have him assassinated, in retaliation for Sieh's role in reporting the sex scandal that had forced his 2007 resignation.{{cite web |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201107210620.html |url-status=live|title=Liberia: Editor Receives Death Threat |date=20 July 2011 |publisher=IFEX via All Africe |archivedate=16 January 2013 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130116105132/http://allafrica.com/stories/201107210620.html |access-date=23 September 2012}}

In August 2013, Sieh was imprisoned after he was unable to pay $1.5 million in libel damages awarded to a government minister who had been sacked for corruption.{{Cite web|url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2013/09/07/skin-deep-success|title=Skin-deep success|date=September 7, 2013|access-date=September 1, 2019|website=The Economist}}

Sieh was featured in a Liberia-focused episode of WNYC's program On the Media, released on December 12, 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/on-the-media-2014-12-12|title=OTM goes to Liberia | On the Media|website=WNYC Studios|accessdate=September 1, 2019}}

Sieh has also employed some of the best women journalist in Liberia, namely; Mae Azango, Tecee Boley and Wade Williams. He and his establishment has been a long-term partner of "New Narratives".{{Cite web|url=http://www.newnarratives.org/|title=New Narratives|access-date=September 1, 2019}}