Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Saturday 31 October 2009

(+) Sayed-Khaiyum on Press Freedom and Journalists' Responsibilities

Those criticizing the Government for its restrictions on the media should at least consider the points raised by the Attorney-General and decide which, if any, they can fault.  Click here for the link to Pacific Scoop.

I'm informed a group of journalists have objected to Khaiyum being allowed to speak to journalism students at USP because of his "lies". A friend comments: "So we have the rather disturbing notion that journalists should fight censorship with their own censorship!! Whatever happened to the belief that journalists should 'get all sides of a story'? This surely begins at journalism schools where they have guest speakers from all sides of debate."
 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Never allow anyone to lie to you twice". But, any smart person knows better than to get bogged down in the lying process. It is so easy to find them out unless their consistency is water-tight. However, it is a professional duty of journalists to 'blow lies out of the water'.

How do you do this if you fail to engage? No how 'smart' would that be? Rather like former President George Bush who would scarcely engage with anyone anywhere based on his principles. President Obama on the other hand, though younger, is wiser.

Journalists MUST ENGAGE. They must then be smart and wise enough to determine the truth. Any politician who falls into the trap of lies is a failed politician.

Anonymous said...

VII Generation

Now we can see how Fiji has been let down by its journalists? Can one imagine a more naive and silly response if one is a student of journalism than to impede anyone speaking on a campus? Will we NEVER get out of this rut? No wonder Australia and New Zealand exploit our naivete and place travel bans upon our judiciary when our courts should be free and fair and independent of ANY interference? What are our dopey journalists going to make of that?

Anonymous said...

So few journalists ever enter a courtroom in Fiji. If they do, they do not stay.

Why has the training of Fiji journalists to report on court matters and procedures been so poor? This is the very lifeblood of a country. In the courts of Fiji, one sees and meets an entire world of reality. None of them other than the photographers wanted any of this. Even the photographers present a partial view of the judicial process. They do not save their photographs until convictions are pronounced and sentences handed down. So how would any of these improperly informed and partially educated and experienced people assist with the administration of justice to the ordinary citizens and investors of Fiji? WHY DO THEY NOT PERCEIVE IT A DUTY, a duty to democracy and to fairness? This failure has led to women of eighty being raped, children subjected to incest rape by their elders, home invaders and organised murders on the backstreets. Blame yourselves because your sloth and your reluctance has allowed these ills to multiply and, worse, until recently, not to be adequately addressed in the courts.

Analyse your incomplete attention to professionalism and duty to your country men and women. Own up to your shortcomings and GET YOURSELVES INTO THE FIJI COURTS'. Read George Elliot - she knew of what she wrote. We are all 'unmapped'. Start the mapping now!