Rarely do we reproduced articles from other media sources to make our points. We have made an exception in this case because the article supports one of our cornerstone arguments promoted from the inception of BU. The other reason which weighed heavily is the fact a member of the BU family felt strongly enough about the subject to request the article be given prominence.
A functioning Fourth Estate is critical to empowering our PEOPLE to be properly equipped to participate in our democratic system of government. Barbadians have come to take our practicing democracy for granted but history and current events have shown it is a very fragile system and the PEOPLE should be weary of not holding key stakeholders in our democratic system of government accountable .
The current debate triggered by the alleged threat by Hartley Henry to Sunday Sun Editor Carol Martindale has become shrouded in partisan prattle. Even if subsequent events show Henry to be guilty Barbadians must not lose sight of the big picture. How does ownership in our local media houses affect how decisions are influenced and which may conflict with the interest of Barbadians? How do we exact standards from our Fourth Estate which would mitigate known political affiliations in the profession?
It should concern Barbadians that a large slice of the media ownership in Barbados is foreign controlled. It is a matter which should be debated. While the media is suppose to report news there is little doubt that a large section of our population are led by what they read or hear from our media houses and practitioners. It therefore is important that news is reported in as unfiltered and unbiased a manner as possible. What guaranty does Barbadians have the editorial policy of our media houses are aligned with Barbadian interest? What guaranty does Barbadians have that our media is being hijacked by the carrot of largess being waved by politicians to a Fourth Estate hungry for revenues at the expense of disseminating unfiltered news?
For those of you who believe that media houses are above the influence of political skulduggery from the media side, the following article has been reproduced to debunk that position. Interesting is the fact that it points to a scenario in Trinidad.
Submitted on 2009/09/11 at 6:41pm
Are The Media Saints Or Sinners?
11/13/2008.
This Speech Was Made By The Chairman Of Citadel Limited.On The Following Date 11/11/08.
I have invited you here this morning to place on record my concerns as a leader of a media house, as a concerned National, and above all, as one who believes very strongly in the freedom of the media.
With responsibility, the expectation has been that media practitioners will exercise sound judgment in the conduct of their affairs, and in the process, the wider society benefits from the work of responsible media.
Bear in mind, with responsibility comes accountability – the big question this morning is – to whom do the media account?
We now find ourselves between a ‘rock and a hard place,’ as the profession of journalism is under scrutiny as never before. This intense scrutiny has come about owing to the individual behavior of some media practitioners.
There are some Journalists who do not see their roles as having to report the facts, but rather see themselves in opposition to the Prime Minister and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
There are some Journalists who consistently string together two points knowing there is no story, in the hope that they would get a reaction; that is the real story.
Journalists, who are also talk show hosts, spend much time criticizing the Prime Minster, and two minutes later put on a ‘news hat’ to read the news. Such people must decide if they wish to be ‘talk show hosts’ or journalists – particularly when so many of their utterances are anti-government and Anti-the Prime Minister.
The grim reality is that officials, both in the Private and Public sectors, are afraid to speak to the media – out of the single fear there will be no balance, no objectivity – no fairness!
Too many journalists write what they wish, and who, five days later would call for a comment after half the truth, sometimes lies, and indeed, innuendos, have solidified to become facts. This has not been a singular experience on my part.
The media cannot pretend it is a “saint” when it is very often a “sinner.”
I will not waste time in discussing the recent radio controversy except to say that it has brought us here and this is a good thing. I have listened to the arguments of “appropriateness” on this matter, and I am forced to laugh out loudly. I have sought to go deeper than the commentators and writers; I have read and listened to all on the subject. The question must be asked, “Had Prime Minister Manning done what you wished i.e. the appropriate thing; would we be here, this morning?”
I submit we would not have been here – simply because it would not be an issue (Think about the process).
I believe Prime Minister Manning believes he has been wronged consistently by some sectors of the media and has sought to address the matter in a unique way.
I commend him for finally bringing his concerns to our attention, in a manner that must force all of us to stop and think i.e. if you can think about your roles as media practitioners in a plural society.
There are too many media employees who are not sure whether they are “Journalists” or “Politicians in opposition to the Government,” and I don’t know you can be both.
I f you are a journalist, the expectation is balance, fairness, honesty, integrity, and above all, professionalism. On the other hand, if you are an opposition journalist/politician, and then continue doing what some of you do, and I am sure you will reap the rewards of your lack of professionalism.
It cannot be that the expectation of appropriateness must only be for the office of the Prime Minister, public officials, and none for the media.
My own “investigations” and I believe in these times investigations is not a known or common word in some areas of the media, suggests to me that politicians and public officials ‘shun’ the media, as they fear being mis-quoted, maligned and beaten up upon.
This is a sorry state of affairs.
How do the media see their role in treating with the private sector? Bear in mind that the private sector is crucial and impacts life in Trinidad and Tobago as much, if not as much as the Government. Do media workers exercise the same degree of tenacity, aggression, and disrespect to the private sector? I fear not! Trinidad and Tobago has seen two major financial institutions go through troubling times, and my concern is that there was an absence of sustained enquiry on the part of the media in both instances.
Fortunately, one pulled itself out the hole it found itself in, while the other, a Credit Union, collapsed – and with it, hundreds of poor ordinary folks lost their life savings.
I make this point to underscore that there is visibly inequity in application in the treatment the Government receives in comparison to the treatment the Private Sector receives, and both are fundamental to our democracy.
I believe a call has to be made to the sober minds remaining in the media, that ours, is a responsibility bigger and greater than the Government’s, and with this responsibility comes accountability.
Our accountability is to our readers, viewers, and listeners across the globe. We cannot continue business as usual as this could lead to anything.
In my view, in a democratic society, all citizens would not share the same views, beliefs, nor belong to the same political party, and this is understandable in a democratic society.
It is my belief in the action of polite disagreement that allows the growth of democracy.
Conversely, when we lose respect for each other because of disagreement over the views and beliefs and actions of another, we begin the downward slide away from democracy.
And in such circumstances, anarchy follows!
The grim reality is there are media practitioners who disagree with the Prime Minister and his Government, and who in their disagreement, show disrespect both to the ‘gentleman’ and the ‘office’ he holds.
You hear media practitioners of all ages refer to the Prime Minister as ‘Manning’ as if the Prime Minister is their schoolmate.
I believe we have got to go back to the ‘basics’ in this country or we may lose our society all together!
It must be ‘Prime Minister’ and ‘Archbishop.’ It must be ‘Father’ Harvey and ‘Magistrate’ X, it must be ‘School Principal’ X and ‘Matron’ Y. it surely cannot be Manning, and media managers have got to demand such professional standards.
On the other hand, I never hear Tony Sabga – it is always Mr. Sabga or Mr. Lok Jack or indeed Mr. Daly!
But all of this disrespect has been a long time coming – and if this recent event achieves one things, it is that we must all know the Prime Minister is concerned about standards in the media!
I am aghast that the Media Association has seen this purely as an opportunity to fight in the media with the Prime Minister! A serious professional association, I believe, would have sought to meet with the Prime Minister to hear his views and have its views heard. Instead, it is fighting within the media where it has all the ‘trumps!’
We cannot go on this way if we hope to grow as a country – where our children unborn world feel a sense of pride, a sense of nation!
If we wish to write and speak freely, it is incumbent upon all of us to act fairly, honestly, impartially, to give balance – balance and nothing else but balance. When we do this – neither Prime Minster nor other office holder will feel aggrieved to the extent that he is prepared to visit a broadcasting house unannounced to be heard.
As we debate appropriateness we might well be in a scenario of ‘pot calling kettle black.’ And while we have spent much time on appropriateness my fear is we have lost sight of the concern of the Honorable Prime Minster, which gave rise to his actions. This single action by the Prime Minster has been in my view most fortuitous as it has brought center stage the burning issues of professionalism within the media.
Some suggest that the Prime Minster ought to have taken his concerns to the Media Complaints Council (MCC), but I ask you to put yourself in his position. Do you take your complaints to Mr. Michael Williams, the Chairman of the Council and a known critic of the Prime Minister?
I will not go back to Mr. Panday who this week said he is supporting the media.
This company, like the short-lived Independent Newspaper, was born out of the harassment that came from Mr. Panday’s Government.
I hear Lawyers speaking, I suspect if I were today to demand of the Law Association a work program that will guarantee a more effective judicial system, I would probably be lynched. If libel matters were guaranteed to be completed form start to finish within three (3) months the media would be much more professional and responsible, and there would be no need for Mr. Manning to visit any media house to lodge his concerns.
I am certain of this as I am featured weekly in the column of a ‘has been’ media worker who hopes to resurrect his ‘dead’ career and dying newspaper, writing wild, misleading and libelous pieces week after week about my good self. And I am not the Prime Minister who by his large portfolio is the subject of a much wider platform of assault.
People aggrieved by the media have no cause to redress. In these circumstances, you have to appeal to the media house, who if they do not respect you, it is ‘you to catch!’
By comparison, in Parliament you have a system of privileges where Parliamentarians have been known to say anything with no redress for the person offended. This however, has been recently changed to allow members of the public who are aggrieved to write the Speaker to have corrections read and entered into the record of Hansard.
In the context of the media, if you are aggrieved, you must find huge resources to go to Court for a lengthy matter; sometimes ten (10) years or more. In the case of radio stations, you are at their mercy in getting a tape for your evidence.
It is against this background that I make the point that under the democratic system, failed politicians are held accountable at elections -the people speak at the ballot box. Under the same system, failed Journalists are free to do, say, and print whatever they wish unless strong management of the media take appropriate action for wrong doing, This however, is not common in the Trinidad and Tobago media.
When last did you hear of a Journalist or talk show host being disciplined for a lack of professionalism?
I wish to state that Citadel Ltd. has not been spared the ‘cancer’ of a lack of professionalism.
In this regard, we have been forced to not only discipline errant broadcasters, but we have been forced to make structural changes within our organization to ensure that no one is in a position to question our objectivity, integrity, and above all, balance in the conduct of news coverage and national debate.
Friends, I believe we need to appreciate there is a negative fallout from an absence of professionalism within the media. These professional practices must have a negative impact on the spirit, operations, and behavior of the National community. It is in this context, we must move with dispatch to bring the highest standards possible to our organizations.
I recommend, and call upon the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) meet at an early date to discuss urgently the matter of standards within the media. The reality is we now have an absence of professionalism, and if we do not fix ourselves, others will always attempt to do so!
On the other hand, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago must become more aggressive and professional in the dissemination of information. Much of its good work remains an untold story, hence the very aggressive and negative reporting on its affairs.
When office holders like Minister Colm Imbert openly boasts that he will not speak to a media house, the fallout is mistrust and disrespect, not only of Minister Imbert, but of the Government!
People of the media, I thank you for being here, and it is my hope that you will find my concerns a ‘hook’ for ongoing discussion on the subject of “Professionalism within the Media of Trinidad and Tobago!”
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.