Salone Journalists battle for survival rather than integrity
Once upon a time journalism was a craft and a profession simultaneously. Through time, generations have changed the idea of what journalistic integrity is. The old timers remember and know that the news is about informing the people of what is going on in the community, government and the world. Our generation today has turned it more into a race for survival as we all want to drive cars load our pockets and get plenty of women.
Because we now have a president who constantly gives hand outs for support, some of us have turned away from the truth and join the fray to be part of that cabal, selling our hard earned integrity for survival.
As old as any profession, Journalism has been of tangible benefit to the development and the sustenance of our governments. Best described as the gatekeeping profession, this noble art of creating an effective and well-represented dialogue platform between several vertically arranged parties, mostly between the governed and the governor. Gatekeepers and also referred to as the Fourth Estate of the realm of governance, the mandate of such a Para-political actor as the media is required to set the agenda for development as well as direct national debate to the people and society centered whilst it ensures that officials are made to account to the populace.
Today our survival in Sierra Leone depends on how many positive articles we write about President Koroma and how many fights we create for his government, even though we are aware of the truth and the difficult economic situation we find ourselves in the country, we don’t care because of our survival. Most of us have put our integrity on the line because we want to live big and drive flashy cars.
But all the same our media has a similar charge if not the same as stated above, a solemn vow made through conscious and affirmed in our hearts and minds to represent the views and many voices of our people to hold office-bearers to account for the limited resources used for developing our country. We should be able to tell the leaders the truth that people are dying of hunger, frustration and sickness. And the only way we can achieve such is not by mortgaging our integrity but uphold the truth and nothing but the truth.
Since independence till date and more recently, some of our journalists have under constrained circumstances performed this natural duty to serve humanity to the best of their ability as they continue to demand accountability and attract attention to daily societal challenges which are sometimes ignored for obvious reasons.
The media landscape over the past decades has seen little improvement especially in the areas of Criminal Libel, Freedom of Information Bill and instructional provisions at the expense of the very essence of the condition of services of the practitioners of this noble calling. Despite the setting up of a Professional association for professionals in the industry – Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) the condition of work for this vital agent of democratic governance has seen little or no improvement over these years.
I commend the re-elected president who has assiduously tried to bring sanity to us by taking the fight to the editors, government officials as well as the opposition for them to respect and trust our judgments.
Contemporary critics of Journalists in the country, continue to openly attack the profession for what is obviously known to them as low standard of practice among media professionals and therefore calling for better and more public oriented selfless journalists such as ensuring accountability, for some of us to emulate veterans like Christo Johnson, Rod Mac, the late Olu Gordon, Kelvin Lewis, Umaru Fofana, Lans Fofanah etc. These are men who have scaled different types of hurdles and they have come out successful because they never traded the integrity of the job for their survival.
Now as a response to this agitation several media organizations have organized a series of capacity development workshops for journalists for several years and yet the result is like digging a well in winter, very difficult indeed as some of us want to benefit from President Koroma’s continued hand outs.
When Umaru took over SLAJ it was discovered that the conditions of service for Journalists were shocking and in a sorry state, He tried his best for proprietors and editors to see reason to improve journalists working conditions, but majority still refused to adhere to the clarion call.
This is not the first time such a trend has occurred and this gives course for worry especially when media practitioners showed no interest at all. What might have been the cause for such an occurrence when the issue is about us? Is it that we are shamed about our peculiarly bad situation? Or do not regard it as true or important better issues worthy of discussing on the airwaves? The answers to these questions are obvious.
A critical and honest examination of this situation reveals that not all Journalists are working under such unacceptable conditions and as such not all are interested in such pursuit. It is further important to state that most Editors are out of this unfortunate bracket and as far as they are concerned such as the subject matter is not necessary at all. It is common knowledge that most of these persons are on the “Payroll” of political/interest groups across the country.
Because of this kind of situation, some of us have no alternative but to barter our integrity for survival. We report stories that we will benefit from, we support unworthy causes and we eventually become PRO for political leaders. This is the state of the media in Sierra Leone and this is why some of us trade integrity for survival. It is now a situation where those who are suppose to be role models have sold their conscience for material benefits, leaving the young practitioners on the crossroad of judging between Integrity and survival, a test which they have failed.
According to Abraham Maslow theory of needs, the three most essential ingredients to man are food, shelter and housing, these are satisfied with money. Motivation in every profession is the key to productivity and this primary truth has been ignored by those that matter in the cause of the downward slope of the practice of Journalism in Sierra Leone.
Every profession like Medical practitioners, Lawyers, Accountants among others have not only Code of ethics but required conditions of service for their members. This is absent in the case of ours.
I want to congratulate all media persons in the country especially the young ones that have for so long suffered in silence and yet they delivered, and continue to do the good work. Let us don’t be influence by the cash that is flowing now from State House, it will come to an end someday but if our integrity is still in tact; it will take us wherever we want to go. Some of the veterans I mentioned are still enjoying life today because they never traded integrity for survival, change of governments have nothing to do with them because good name (integrity) is better than a quick penny (survival).
Austin Thomas, China
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