Social responsibility critical for the editor’s role

Aug 24, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,

I refer to Freddie Kissoon’s letter in Kaieteur News of August 23, 2009.

I referred to Owner Mr. Glen Lall ‘perusing’ the editorials, not to apportion the label ‘final approval’ to editorials because of limited journalistic display in Kaieteur News’ editorials; the Editorial in question stated thus in part: “…Perhaps, the role of the state newspapers is to defend the government in the same way that the private media see their role as reporting on those things that the government would wish to keep quiet. Dr Misir should recognise this. He should know that no media house has a duty to reflect the positive views of the government only…The private media houses, regardless of the political affiliation of the owner or the reporter, always carry the news as they see it…”

The responsibility of the media is not merely to make public what any ‘government would wish to keep quiet’; then the thought of media houses carrying the news as they see it is nauseating; but if this is their modus operandi, then what has happened to objectivity and fundamental fairness, inclusive of balance in their application of ‘Guyanese’ journalism. And so, this is the compelling reason why I wrote the letter that columnists are presenting unverified information.

As I previously indicated there is something wrong with the modus operandi of Kaieteur News’ journalism, if this is what constitutes their brand of journalism.

There is nothing wrong with the Kaieteur News’ owner perusing ‘pieces’ within a context of sloppy journalism. And do not allow Kissoon to camouflage this situational context of slipshod journalism with his references to Rupert Murdock in relation to the London Times and the Wall Street Journal, and Kathleen Graham of the Washington Post.

It is inappropriate to compare things that are unlike; but then even if you allow the comparisons for a fleeting moment, it will then be apposite to assess and evaluate stage of development and maturity of The Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post in relation to the Kaieteur News.

The Wall Street Journal was born on July 8, 1889; The Times (not the London Times) on January 1, 1785; and the Washington Post on December 6, 1877.

This is what Former Executive Editor of the New York Times had to say about media mogul Rupert Murdoch: “I believe a Murdoch takeover of our last independent national newspaper would be a disaster for the trustworthy reporting on which our civic life depends.” Raines presented an anecdote about a meeting he had with Rupert Murdoch in 2002. Murdoch then spoke about the Bancroft-owned Wall Street Journal and Mr. Murdoch issued this instruction: “You ought to hit them where they live. Go after hard business news and beat them on their strength.” This is the ‘timid’ Rupert Murdoch that Kissoon presented; my foot! Murdoch is an aggressive intervening, and hands-on media modul; make no mistake about that.

And there are numerous other reports about his leadership style when it comes to running his media world. The management and leadership styles of many media owners are quite ruthless.

I am not suggesting that Mr. Lall finally approves all editorials, but as an owner he must be au-faire with the goings-on at his establishment; otherwise, the end result could be unseemly; that is the compelling reason for him or any surrogate to peruse the editorials.

I think, too, in the interest of ‘best-practices’ journalism, I would reintroduce a piece from the Hutton Inquiry of 2004 “…the right to communicate …information is subject to the qualification…that false accusations of fact impugning the integrity of others, including politicians, should not be made by the media.

Where a reporter is intending to broadcast or publish information impugning the integrity of others the management of his broadcasting company or newspaper should ensure that a system is in place whereby his editor or editors give careful consideration to the wording of the report and to whether it is right in all the circumstances to broadcast or publish it…”

I know that editors have a critical role; but there are editors and editors; and so where an editor excludes the principle of social responsibility from his repertoire of journalistic skills, then the editorial function becomes wanting; when this happens, why should an owner not engage in ‘perusing’? Perhaps, it might be time to find new editors.

Prem Misir

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