There is something that is called voodoo. Actually it is a religion practiced especially in Haiti, the tiny Caribbean Island populated mainly by blacks who were originally slaves exported from Africa. Voodoo is making the impossible happen or seem to happen. Journalism in its most basic form is the work of collecting and writing news stories. Voodoo and journalism are diametrically opposed to each other. Journalism has to do with some investigation and authentication in fairness to persons who may be linked to the particular story. In strict observance of the ethics of journalism, speculation should be avoided even if it is frequently used. A news story that relies on speculation but made to appear as a reality is in the realm of voodoo. And that is what voodoo journalism is. It is conjuring; it is making things up and the basest form of inhumanity especially when the object of the news story is a human or corporate person.
Some two weeks ago, a story carried a story titled “Exposed! Killer of Madam Udonwa, Paul Inyang confesses’. It is to say the least the most malicious fabrication. Whoever cooked up the story gave the impression that the PDP-led government of Akwa Ibom or its agents was responsible for the deaths. Serious-minded readers ordinarily ought to have dismissed the insinuation as the wicked ploy of a heartless thoroughly debased ‘journalist’ who wants to earn a living by concocting stories, not just any story but gory stories of murder and assassination.
We have had cases of self-confessed ‘murderers’ in the past. Almost all of these murderers die ‘mysteriously’ or upon confession and those who report these confessions have never been able to state the true identify of these ‘assassins’, where they came from or were buried.
Some months ago, Adelola Tamunotonye who claimed to be an ex-militant with the alias of General Africa tried to swindle Senator Aloysius Etok. He said he was hired to assassinate the senator and mentioned Isantim Kenneth Okon as the man who recruited him. If the senator had not been smart enough, he might never have known the truth. The con man was caught by operatives of the state security service in Abuja to where he had been lured. When nabbed, he admitted he was entirely on his own scheming to defraud the senator. The world then knew the truth but before then an innocent person had been maligned.
It is unfortunate that a human being who, whatever the amount of wickedness in his soul, knows what is in a name should choose to rubbish another person’s reputation just to earn a living. It is more unfortunate that somebody who claims to be a journalist should take delight in flouting the basic rules of his profession. A weighty issue like assassination should normally be thoroughly investigated but in the main since such investigation is likely to be inconclusive, humanity demands that it should not be reported at all.
A journalist should realize that in today’s permissive society he must not be seen to degrade standards of good taste and conduct. He must not be seen to infringe on the rights of the individual citizen. Historically, the journalist has been identified by society as carrying out two main functions – reporting the news as it is and offering interpretation and opinion based on the news. He must not be seen to falsify; after all he could be charged for defamation. The impact of journalism, as a journalist should know, can and often does influence the course of events being reported because it brings public opinion into focus and sometimes creates it. When you deliberately defame somebody’s character, you do incalculable damage to his person.
A journalist should not take advantage of the privilege of getting across to the public without spending a kobo. A person whose image is soiled by some damaging news report has a more arduous task of salvaging that image. Every news source has to be authenticated especially when it relates to outright crime and where there is doubt as to the veracity of the story, in the spirit of fairness it should be discarded. A lot of homes and careers have been wrecked by malicious reports that have no basis. But when the facts are certain there is a justification to inform the public if it is also certain that such report can further the cause of society and make it a better place.
Our politicians may be vilified for fiscal irresponsibility but most of them are not that devilish to resort to murder and assassination. Those in public office by the weakness of our system can use their position to hound their political opponents and ruffle their feathers but assassination is either not an option or the last option. The truth really is that most of the deaths recorded and ascribed to politicians are really the handiwork of some dare devil criminals who do not respect the sanctity of human life.
Scandalous news may rake in more money for a newspaper but more often than not it debases those who benefit from it. Sadism is a weakness in so far as it hurts the object of the attack. It should be avoided in journalism.
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