Much has been said about the role of the media in the Oscar-case. Let journalists speak for themselves: Leon Louw (Business Day) and Martin Williams (respected former editor of the Citizen) strongly criticized the role of the media and Louw described it as a media feeding frenzy. Some journalists now proudly say: We made him famous, now you criticize us! Yes, they helped make him famous, BECAUSE he was a good story and money spinner for them then. They now help destroying him, BECAUSE it is even a better story and money spinner now. At least seven books have been written already, mostly by journalists, about him on his way down. How many books have been written about him on his way up? There are of course exceptions and I have many journalist fb-friends who fall in that category. I know of an editor of an Afrikaans womens magazine who refused to publish anything about this sick media circus, because she did not want her publication to be part of the destruction of a human being. I take my hat off to her for such a rare principled stance in these days. I am old enough to remember the days where the media would not shy away from the truth because it would stand in the way of a good story. The days of investigative journalism that would have zoomed in on for example the devastating legal opinions from respected countries on the humiliating cross-examination that Oscar was subjected to described as an example of abusive lawyering at its worst. But no, it was completely ignored because it did not suit their line of reporting and could stand in the way of a good story.I salute those few journalists that had the courage of their conviction to speak out against the negative role of the media in this case. You give me hope for the future.
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 05:40:53 +0000
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