Media Cleansing
Controversy has remained for ages the life thrust of any society. It is to limit some of its harmful effects on governance, that key players in any administration suppress or channel certain sensitive information on public issues to government owned media and other private media organizations which for one reason or the other engage in what is professionally dubbed, “significant silences” on certain public issues.
Often, governments have recourse to news hoarding, selective coverage and placement of adverts to bring outspoken media to their knees and be compliant. Unfortunately for government and the lily-livered press outfits which hardy co-habit with professional ethics because of material inducements, the ploy does not spark always.
But to courageously point the way forward and appraise issues from different perspectives is much more honourable and professional than echoing what government said or felt and misleading the masses.
Generally, it is not advisable to swallow hookine and sinker every such public statement. The sugar-coated utterances must be accepted with a pinch of salt. The cautions stride is vital because a top government functionary or that of a corporate body could lie by what he said or did not say. This is why certain issues occasionally cast longer shadows when reported.
To be and remain an effective organ of mass enlightenment, issues rather than personalities or political parties should be the main focus of reportage. The virile press must continue to appraise issues and events from different angles even though unwarranted and unsolicited advice generally end up on deaf ears.
But this is wrong. Governments need both the friendly and the independent press to function efficiently Duality complements natural phenomena like life and death, day and night while electricity to produce light must have positive and negative components.
There is no gain saying that governance has remained the main fodder in news dissemination in view of its crucial role over life and death. Politicians must bear in mind the enormity of their mandate and accept criticism in good faith as every mortal is liable to wrong judgment and mistakes.
The often branded un-friendly or antagonistic press are like the surgeon who cuts off a diseased tissue not to hurt the patient but to cure the body of its health disorder. In the same way, the press through timely intervention to expose evil and abort its attainment of a pandemic level rids the society of a bigger calamity.
These oversight functions of the press though generally misconstrued have caused many journalists their lives just to ensure that the society is crime free.
Unfortunately, such brave and patriotic journalists never made the list in any national honour awards while their peers in the service are yet to protest the highten. Inspite of this shortfall, it has remained the duty of the press to alert and sensitive the populace on danger signals from either the government or men of the underworld by placing all the facts before them for a valid assessment of the issues at stake.
What about the Menfolk?
Sir, This generation is over pampering the womenfolk. If it is not women emancipation, it is a house for widows most of who must have contributed to the untimely death of their spouses.
It is my candid opinion that women beneficiaries should be thoroughly screened to prevent those whose relationship with their husbands was that of the cat and the mouse from enjoying government welfare programmes.
Such programmes should also be extended to widowers who not only lacked the bottom power but perish in abject poverty because of urbanization and the discontinuity of the cushioning effects of the extended family system.
Beside, what about graduates who have almost attained public service retirement age while combing government and private establishments for job openings. Even though Imo State Youths Must Work Programme may soon absorb some of them yet, there are others visibly idle in a world where nothing is at standstill except death.
Government must do something now for some special unemployable ones to curb the spate of violent crime currently causing sleepless nights to some homes. They take to crime as a last resort just to keep the soul and body
together.
