The notion that journalism is failing in its duties, as often peddled on social media discourse, especially by those who seek to criticize the extent to which it can influence change, is sometimes misguided and, if left unchecked, would mislead the gullible. Criticising journalism is allowed and must be encouraged in its entirety if it is constructive and not destructive or meant to undermine its function in a forever-evolving landscape where most may need constant reminders of what journalism stands for. It’s never wrong for any fraternity to be put under a microscopic lens. All that works for good in a democratic society where divergent views matter. It should, in fact, be encouraged. This helps in promoting responsibility among journalists and ensuring that they know that their work is influential enough to make or break a nation. However, the criticism must border on facts and not just wild accusations, which are at times intended to water down journalistic work and stifle free speech. Whilst journalists are not infallible and must know that society judges their work, it is important to note that criticism without facts pointing to shortcomings is always akin to blowing hot air. It’s a wild goose chase.
Even worse, criticism becomes more dangerous when done out of ignorance. Thus, whereas some would be alive to the reality that journalism mirrors society, it may be that when society, with all its moral righteousness, points a finger at journalists for a failed/collapsing state of affairs, it is by extension pointing to itself. Mirror reflections never deceive. They reflect things as they appear. Similarly, mirror reflections are like X-ray scans used to see bones and joints, and sometimes internal organs. X-rays reveal the bone fractures, as they are in the case of injuries. Likewise, this is the same analogy we must bear in the back of our minds when we debate on the role of journalism and whether it has achieved any mandate. Journalism reveals society as is. Could it be about corruption, nepotism, shortage of drugs in public hospitals, the collapsing public education system, or anything that is of interest, it is usually that journalism may frame headlines denoting a certain societal challenge, but it’s usually the responsibility of society to act on any revelations. For instance, local media have for years been reporting about youth unemployment as a time bomb that could explode anytime. Despite the story dominating headlines year-on-year, there is nothing more the scribes can do apart from setting the agenda. To achieve any tangible solution, all stakeholders relevant to any highlighted societal issue must instigate reforms, be it at policy, legislation level, or otherwise. It serves no purpose if the media discloses all the soaring unemployment figures, but those at the helm of steering social transformation choose to look elsewhere. No matter how much a story is given prominence, it is often society that should be at the heart of reforms. A second example would be that of economic challenges, with the government's financial revenues dwindling amidst sluggish diamond markets. The story has been widely published from print, broadcast to digital media platforms.
