By Joseph Ezekiel Thulla
If you work as a professional journalist and have upheld your integrity since the beginning of your career, you will be able to identify problematic or subpar journalism in a democracy and closely examine a number of important areas of journalistic performance and integrity.
Some lack the level of fact-checking when it comes to Sierra Leone. They frequently neglect to check information, which allows misleading or inaccurate content to proliferate.
Some produce and distribute news information that is rife with partisanship and bias. Fairness and balance are not what they are aiming for. These are journalists who willfully tend to misrepresent matters and persistently advance a specific political agenda regardless of context or facts. This is a transgression and a sin.
They frequently employ strong language or leave out crucial viewpoints. They sleep and wake up with sensationalism-promoting stuff. This is depressing. These are the journalists who prefer dramatic headlines or content to in-depth reporting, and who typically prioritize viewership or clicks over providing insightful information. This is quite regrettable since it frequently results in inflated or inaccurate facts. Because of this, progress in Sierra Leone remains essentially stagnant.
There are journalists who are not answerable to the public they cover. This is total insanity since competent journalists own up to their errors and make quick corrections. The worst journalists avoid accountability when they are discovered disseminating false information or acting unethically.
There are APC and SLPP journalists in Sierra Leone. This is hilarious in a tragic way. Sadly, some journalists may have financial, political, or personal interests that taint their neutrality, which leaves them seriously conflicted.
Sadly and shamelessly, there are journalists and reporters whose work displays their prejudice for political individuals, corporate interests, or advocacy groups. 👉These people are the murderers. They have to be embarrassed of themselves and beg for pardon.
👉👉👉The earliest moment of their regret is drawing near.
There are those who are “Hopeless Blackmailers” and always report on the surface, based only on press releases or rumors. They are devoid of critical analysis and in-depth investigation. This frequently indicates careless or inept reporting.
Some people would argue that journalists who rely on “infotainment” or propaganda are the worst. These are the journalists that don’t always distinguish between commentary and facts, or who push specific narratives while blending opinion and news. These journalists have issues. This is particularly prevalent among people who prioritize their amusement before educating the public.
But journalism must operate as a watchdog for accountability and openness in a democracy, and exposing unethical behavior in the media helps to maintain its credibility.
We are living in one of the worst periods of history in Sierra Leone. Feel free to disagree with my opinions.
Joseph Ezekiel Thulla,
Principal and Lecturer
Email: [email protected]