Lack of quality journalism is a serious concern

THE article "North West infighting report back to haunt the ANC", July 20, once more reflects the dangers plaguing the media sector, which we have been at pains to caution against.

First, we have sought to highlight to various editors that it is imperative that they endeavour to employ knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated reporters.

The critical challenge is that the South African media industry suffers from a dearth of journalistic quality. The newsrooms abound with junior reporters lacking in the most basic skills associated with the trade, including those of checking and crosschecking information.

Related to that would be the examination of the source(s) so as to ascertain reliability, especially in the context of the matter being investigated. These qualities we have referred to inform the content placed in the public arena.

The credibility of the report finds resonance in two of the three key elements sacrosanct in journalism, namely accuracy and balance. All these factors are meant to place the reporter in a position of one without reproach. It also assists a reporter in avoiding being perceived as a factional writer.

The second aspect we have cautioned against is that journalists should take heed and avoid acting as couriers of factional agendas inside political parties, in particular the ANC.

When a journalist lacks the aforementioned qualities, they tend to depend on gossip or corridor talk peddled as authentic information. Journalists become cannon fodder to groups or factions seeking to advance their own views, or seeking to project a particular perception about the organisation or certain individuals.

This cautioning seems to have evaded the Sowetan reporter responsible for the erroneous article. We would like to believe that the error emanates from a lack of basic skills in journalistic etiquette, as opposed to being aligned to factional reporting. Therefore, the workings of a political organisation such as ours are beyond him.

Turning to the facts of the situation regarding the national working committee meeting with the North West provincial executive committee (PEC), the following should be stated:

First, there was neither reference to nor discussion of the alleged two-year-old report he refers to. Second, the reporter's investigative skills are found wanting. Had he done proper research, he would have known that the last provincial executive committee of the North West was disbanded after the national executive committee received three reports which pointed to the fact there was paralysis in the province. The province was then run by a provincial task team for about 18 months. The current PEC is in office for one year and five months, which is less than two years. Third, on challenges facing the ANC and its ability to carry out its mandate, we have been ready to engage this paper and furnish it with information.

We remain determined to continue offering the Sowetan opportunities to engage the ANC, because we understand this to be in the interest of informing the public of what the ANC is doing in North West. The organisational problems in the province are being attended to with the necessary seriousness.

We hope that the Sowetan will also make an effort by seeking to interact with the ANC in an honest and genuine manner, ensuring that our organisation stays accountable. It would be commendable were the Sowetanto recognise the fallacy of its report and correct it. At face value these issues seem petty. However, these are fundamental if the profession is to continue playing its part of informing and educating the publicand ensuring those in power remain under scrutiny, and are made to account for what they do or say.

Among the recommendations made by the Media Freedoms Commission is one on the need to step up the training of journalists, as a mechanism of protecting the prestige of the profession. More than the prestige of the profession, at stake is the matter of the media being beyond reproach and informing rather than misinforming society. Misinformation weakens citizens and makes them gullible to sensationalism. Members of society are disempowered from making reasonable conclusions about challenges facing them.