We need to have more balanced, professional news reporting

Editor: Journalism and the news media play an important role in a country’s development. However, it is unfortunate that many news media houses and journalists have failed to do their own research and instead, repeat what they have read or heard. In some cases, it may not be true, or may lack depth and also some have allowed party politics to prevent them from being balanced and professional.{{more}}

A journalist, reporter and news medium ought to give a balanced report and let the readers decide. The truth is what ought to be reported at all times and not just the political side that the reporter, journalist or news medium want the readers or listeners to hear or digest.

Take, for example, the OAS report on the general elections. Rather than giving both sides of the report, many reporters and news media chose to give the part of the report that suits their political party’s view. I would have thought that a professional journalist and news medium would give both sides of the report and let the readers and listeners formulate their opinion. Credit must be given to Hans King and Elson Crick who gave a more detailed report of the report itself.

The recent Cybercrime Bill was reported in one news media that it was passed, whereas it only got its first reading and is not yet made into a law. In another case, a news media house reported on an incident of an attempted robbery, giving a location and names of victims different from another media house. Therefore, in this case, who is right? This is part of the problem; rather than doing their own investigation and research, we are having reporters, journalists and news media giving out information that they themselves can-not verify.

It is time that media houses, journalists and reporters lift their standards and do their work professionally. Let the confidence of the Vincentian public be restored in the media houses. After all, we are living in the age of technology, where an enquiring mind will do his/her own research and get the truthful information.

We need to have more balanced and professional news reporting. These must be without party politics. For when they allow party politics to get in the way, then they spoil their reputation and they lose the trust and confidence of the public.

Kennard King