Friday, April 1, 2011

Insular


Insularity has invaded our nation and those that know better are seemingly thriving in the limitless restraint of the benefits that accompany it.

I have always shook my head, rolled my eyes and stewpes whenever the media and the propaganda pontiffs would work half of a story or issue to death. I have often found that there was something missing in many a news item or article. I could not figure out how persons purporting to be 'journalists' practicing 'journalism' would skillfully function with tunnel vision only. How many times have we heard the other side of the story on the street or clarification of a hotly debated topic or the distorted version of what we know not to exist or simply the obviously missing puzzle piece?

Journalists have a duty to the public to offer full awareness and disclosure - at the end of reading an article or listening to a newscast, should we not feel enlightened, thought-provoked or even inspired? There is little/no ability to be able to rely on a press piece for fear that quoting them, formulating an opinion, entering into discourse with others or being driven to effect a change may crest and merely flat line as you discover the misinformation that was handed to you from 'reliable resources'.

I cannot even excuse the partisan radio hosts and columnists - for the fact that they are mere adherents and fervent tub-thumpers of their respective organisations is no excuse; it is imperative to note who guides the material flowing through the airwaves. Some even dare to profess that they engage in research and analysis, proclaiming to have a duty (God-given for a few) to reveal to the Vincentian public for our misinformation.

Granted I am not saying that everything that is said, stated or declared is incorrect, misdirected or deliberately fed to us with the aim of poisoning our minds...on the contrary - we face a constant barrage of half-consumed, half-analysed, half-considered, half-revelations, half-insinuations of genuine issues, which means that we are listening to the result of in completion. On the other hand, I do not expect journalists and the hosts of whistleblowers to await to be fully informed on a particular issue before their moment of public disclosure.

Rather, as the purchaser of all 4 weekly publications and the occasional listener to the FM discourse, I consider myself entitled to hear as much about an issue in an efficient, effective and timely manner - so I want to see certain stories get coverage ASAP but I would rather wait than see a "Sorry, we made an error" statement tucked into a corner or the silence.

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