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A cup of tea can strip a journalist of all pride...
2005-08-09 07:58:46
By Joyce Bazira
While in Tanzania it is not surprising to see three or four reporters from the same newsroom appearing uninvited at conferences, seminars or workshops they have not been assigned just to register their presence and later demand mshiko, to journalists in Sweden, ’’a cup of tea and a sandwich can strip you of your pride.’’
Talking to journalists from different parts of the world who were attending a course on ’journalism and democracy’ in Sweden recently, Peter Ljunggren, freelancer and editor of Scoop, a magazine owned by the Swedish organization for investigative journalism, said receiving such offers can results in people losing trust and respect for you.
Offers like that in one way or another, can deprive me of my independence, he said.
’’There is no doubt that corruption breeds inefficiency, lies, greed, malice and other such vices,’’ he said adding that where there is corruption, the media’s role as a watchdog over society is also eroded, hence denying the people their right to information.
Another Swedish journalist, Ann Lagerstron had the same opinion. ’’Journalists need to be firm to protect their image and refuse to accept money under the table,’’ said Lagerstron who is also a media trainer and former editor at leading Swedish newspaper, Svenska Dagbladet.
She warned media practitioners against turning into what she termed ”envelope journalists.’’
Responding to their comments, journalists from Africa, Asia, Middle East and South America asked if they think it would be easy for journalists from developing countries to avoid the lure of riches for a paradise on earth?
’’We know journalists who are long regarded as the eyes and ears of societies, but due to some reasons are tempted to grab any chance that come their way, a journalist from Ghana, Ms Chrispat Okotu said.
’’If you are working under stressful conditions and you have too low salary to make ends meet, your conditions of service is nothing to write home about, and someone comes to rescue you from economic hardship, would you resist that?’’ she asked.
It would not be very easy for one to turn his back against such a good offer of salvation, she said.
Stressing the point, Zimbabwean journalist Ruth Butaumocho said most journalists in Africa are corrupted through the need to survive, as they are not well paid or motivated.
’’Worse still, so many are stringers, only being paid for the pieces that are published,’’ she said.
Bakare Muritala, a Gambian journalist also had the same opinion. He said he was concerned that the low salaries paid to journalists are contributing to corruption in the media.
’’Corruption is the blight in most countries, arising from difficulties that one faces in having to work under harsh economic circumstances,’’ he said.
After talking to journalists from different countries in the world attending the journalism and democracy course, it was realised that most journalists in the developing world are not spared from corruption.
A participant picked an example from the Asian country Cambodia, where it is believed that having money is equal to being above the world.
’’If you have power and money you can ask a giant to dance for you,’’ Cambodian journalist Thong Sovann Rainsey said, adding : ’’With money you can do whatever you like and not even the law can touch you.’’
But should journalists just watch helplessly and let this evil destroy their profession? One journalist asked.
’’We have strong conviction that corruption can be addressed if the captains themselves summon their will to tackle it to ensure credibility and public trust,’’ said Nyambe Muyumbana, a Zambian journalist.
And this is possible, a journalist from Botswana said adding that in some newsrooms in South Africa, journalists are taking a stand against this image-damaging practice of receiving parcels and other gifts from people in power and organizations.
He said they have come out with in-house regulations that state that journalists have to hand over all items they receive from covering events, like t-shirts, caps, pens and bags which are later donated to charity organizations every Christmas.
Nevertheless, for journalists to win the war against corruption they need courage, sacrifice and a strong will. Without these qualities they are losers, another journalist concluded.
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