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UGLY JOURNALISM: VETERAN GIDEON TAKA PRESCRIBES PANACEA.

From Pa Gideon Taka


In the debate that is ongoing regarding the type of journalism practised by some media houses, allow me take an issue with the use of the idea "business" as an objective of some journalists. 

Yes, every human endeavour is "business" because it is and must be organised towards profit making, a positive result.

The business of media publications is well  defined in the ethics adopted by all practitioners and enshrined in the laws of the land.

The business of journalism, as is well understood, is principally to uncover "hidden" facts that may assist to propel the society forward towards the good life.

This is the duty of the practising journalist who is equipped and knows how to discriminate among many contending facts with the sole aim of bringing proactive and functional information to the public.

Some opinions that I have read on this forum have generally agreed on this traditional definition of journalism but have added a shift to depict the necessity of "grabbing" and thereby predicated on publishing information dictated and approved by the source.

The source here refers to news generators that by design is subjective, since it is protective of its frailties and is out for face-saving.  

This new practice, that we are living through these days, is defeating the very foundation of journalism, based on the protection of the governed. 

The practice of journalism generally demands that we publish the truth, as gathered by someone of the art. Any deviation, for whatever reason, is not accepted in any association of practising journalists. 

It is universally agreed that when people are informed, they can take reasoned and  wise decisions and therefore they can move the country forward in the various domains of their  wellbeing. 

In the field, such a journalist is incorruptible by whoever. 

This is also a requirement of other professions, as we all know. Who does not remember why our learned and vibrant Dr Nick Ngwanyam of St Louis University Institute  resigned his appointment with the state department of health?

He was brazen against the source that wanted him to be subjective. Whether we like him or not, he stands tall in his profession and history must have his name enshrined among medical doctors as respecting the Hippocratic Oath. 

There are many Ngwanyams in other professions too. Read Prof Angwagor's publication on Patrick Tataw Obenson, such a refined journalist and publisher. Patrick did like any control he faced at Radio Cameroon in Yaounde and decided to publish his newspaper in West Cameroon. 

Patrick has left his foot prints on the sands of time. He did not truncate facts because of money.

His paper sold adequately well for him to continue with more editions.

Those journalists who grab money and change facts are not aware that they are falsifying history for future researchers. 

No one is coerced into doing wrong, or being subjective, for this adds to being deceitful   to ones country, because,in the name of selfishness, filling  ones stomach, we have betrayed our people.

An overview of other  professions, a non respect of ethics usually amounts to a betrayal of trust.

This little contribution is to let those who grab and "cook" the story know that it is ethically wrong and is also a distortion of  history. Before the God of journalism they should never belong to this profession. 

May the God of journalism put a stop to information distortion, so that our people may not perish in ignorance.

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