BU has been observing for sometime how some people in our society are being elevated to the status of social commentator. It is a growing trend which John Public must become aware. Our media houses facilitate a platform which supports the production of many tin pot social commentators; by accident or design some may ask? The lurking danger which the current environment presents is to enable a few among us to be opinion shapers. Surprisingly there are many Barbadians who hold the view that if it is read in the newspaper or spoken on radio, it must be true.
A good example of one such social commentator in our opinion is Peter Wickham. He is a pollster by profession and from all reports is respected on that front. It seems to us because of his reputation as a good pollster and political scientist he has been anointed by the media and duly elevated to the throne of social commentator.
BU is the first to defend Wickham’s right to promulgate his multiplicity of views based on what we see as a neoliberal leaning. We have to ask, is it fair that his personal views should be foisted on a non-discerning public twice weekly on CBC radio, once a week on CBC TV, once a week in a Nation column and as if that was not enough he is given additional airplay by the generous number of other exposures in the media. Additionally, as the CBC resident Political Analyst he is given generous opportunities to analyse political issues of the day on the government owned station.
Should we be uncomfortable with a Fourth Estate which has become so unconcerned by allowing allcommers to deposit their views in the public space with apparent little thought? This time around we have picked on Peter Wickham but there are many others who can easily fit the bill. It is time Barbadians understand that an approach based on discovery rather than than drinking hook line and sinker what it is fed to them is the more sensible approach. Do you remember the times when our social commentators were people like Gladston Holder, Oliver Jackman, Wendell McClean, Glenroy Straughn to name a few?
Unfortunately we operate in times when to be popular is the sole credential needed to attract the bright lights.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.