To the Editor,
Re: Good journalism provokes thought, Wright Turn, March 12.
Ah, if only there were such a thing. The editorial on the same page as this headline demonstrates that ‘good journalism’ is very hard to find.
The editorial attacks ‘so called’ government secrecy and much has been made throughout the media, and in this editorial, about Bev Oda and her ‘claimed’ misleading statement.
Is it true that all politicians go into defensive mode when they make a mistake? Absolutely.
Is it true cabinet ministers are less than forthcoming with their plans? Absolutely.
But before the media waves the ‘self righteous, this is democracy’ flag, the industry should look in the mirror because they bear a large part of the responsibility.
After all theirs is an industry that is run on the basis of “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story”.
Witness this paragraph from the said editorial: ”MPs must have full information to cast informed votes.” Since when did any MP have the freedom to decide how to vote, informed or otherwise?
It is the knowledge that the media has few scruples when producing a story, and regularly use deliberately misleading headlines or take words out of context, to cast an entirely false impression about what a politician has said that creates an atmosphere of suspicion.
So it should surprise them least of all that when politicians slip up, they fall back on the old defence of deny, deny, and watch every word when speaking to the media.
Charles Reid
Nanaimo
