Dear Editor,
We would have better quality newscasts in Guyana had the standards for accepting and recruiting media operatives been higher. Just the other day, Berbice played host to a media training workshop which saw the attendance of dozens of media practitioners from all across Guyana and especially here in Berbice. This event, I am sure, cost the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) thousands of dollars for the three-day event.
I was flabbergasted last Friday evening just after seven o’clock when a Berbice newscaster started laughing in the midst of presenting the news, not once but twice, after what appeared to be a fly or some other insect landing on her forehead. The cast was immediately cut off for a few seconds then the young lady apologized and continued.
Shabby and sensational reporting, mispronunciations (like the news presenter who said “Queen Elizabeth the Eleventh (II)” a few years ago, mixed-up tapes causing mixed-up stories, poor video quality and sound, are among the journalistic sins which are committed day in and day out by media operatives as a result of poor academic qualifications. I was in Georgetown and saw an advertisement on the TV for reporters. Each applicant was required to have at least a Diploma in Communications and nothing less! That applicant, now, entering journalism who would have covered the basics of journalism might have been expected to read for his or her degree; anything else would be unacceptable! Media houses must ensure that their journalists always keep upgrading their academic skills. Governments can also invest in these persons through training which would not only benefit the persons themselves or their media entity, but also the people of the country and journalism as a whole.
Journalists today are covering the news only where it is ‘comfortable’ for them to do so. Many of them have developed a lazy attitude with regards to reporting what matters the most. Many editors need to share the blame here, as in the case of the editor in the situation described above. News editors know that it is their duty to give proper direction in respect of bringing information to the public. But sadly anyone can become a news editor these days. Sadly also we have lost so many veteran and well-qualified journalists through the years either through migration or because they have pursued other jobs. The current journalists (especially on TV) leave much to be desired. While a few (which I can count with my fingers) show much hope, others give journalism a bad name. Many of the journalists I grew up to know and respect have either migrated or have pursued other jobs.
Mr Anand Persaud of this newspaper spoke at length about voice poverty at a United Nations-sponsored workshop in July in Georgetown. That workshop was not attended by many persons due to the Ministry of Health’s fire that same day in the city. But surely attendance was not the fault since the Berbice workshop was well attended.
What Guyanese ultimately watch every evening is the same set of stories from various (political) angles, and this goes also for most of the newspapers – most. Nobody is trying to go that extra mile; no reporter wants to go into the sidelines, to ground zero where no other has travelled and where they know their reporting skills are hungered for.
News and views and issues are waiting to be brought to light from the far-flung communities across Berbice and Guyana.
Would our journalists dare to care? Are they bold enough to answer that call? Can they ever proudly, courageously and nobly wear that name or say ‘I am a journalist’? Do they truly love what they do?
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran
