Latest update April 6th, 2025 11:06 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

A lesson for journalists and editors

Jul 16, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I write in relation to Freddie Kissoon’s article captioned “How a newspaper humbled Machiavelli’s reincarnation” (KN, July 13) in which he writes about Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, his tremendous influence on British politics, and the alleged telephone hacking scandal that caused the closure of the News Of The World (NOTW), a major British tabloid owned by the media magnate.
I wish to bring attention to a key point that was not addressed in Mr. Kissoon’s article and which provides a lesson for journalists and editors.
I do not agree with Rupert Murdoch’s business philosophy and the type of journalism practised at his various media outlets around the world. However, in apportioning blame for the NOTW fiasco, we need to recognize that it was the paper’s editor and journalists who had direct operational responsibilities.
As owner, Murdoch may have provided the enabling environment, but it was the editor and the journalists who would have violated their codes of ethics, varying from the professional standards expected of them, and possibly broke the law in the process. They cannot be absolved of their responsibilities and a judicial inquiry may hold them accountable.
Freddie concludes his piece by stating “The media remains civilization’s best friend”. Well, this is only true of an independent media that is not beholden to anyone or any group, one that upholds the highest standards of journalistic ethics and that is committed to finding and reporting the truth.
Murdoch’s media operations which have been the darling of certain politicians and members of the establishments in the UK and the USA are certainly not “civilization’s best friends”.
In fact, public reaction forced the British Prime Minister to rescind the appointment of NOTW’s editor as his Director of Communication and the venerable Scotland Yard, Britain’s most respectable police body, is now tainted.
Harry Hergash

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

 

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest Basketball opens with local teams in mixed results

‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest Basketball opens with local teams in...

Apr 06, 2025

-Action concludes today Kaieteur Sports- In a historic occurrence for Guyana’s Basketball fraternity the ‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest opened yesterday, Saturday, morning at the Cliff...
Read More
GCA, East Coast surge to huge wins 

GCA, East Coast surge to huge wins 

Apr 06, 2025

GFF/Concacaf kick off two-day Match Commissioners Workshop to boost football operations in Guyana

GFF/Concacaf kick off two-day Match Commissioners...

Apr 06, 2025

Chase’s Academic outclass Bartica to move closer to 2025 title

Chase’s Academic outclass Bartica to move...

Apr 06, 2025

Three Miles Secondary make clean sweep of Jagan Windball cricket titles

Three Miles Secondary make clean sweep of Jagan...

Apr 06, 2025

National Chess champions off to Trinidad and Tobago

National Chess champions off to Trinidad and...

Apr 06, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]