Dialogue: Let our media clean up their act

By CHRISTINE RANKIN

Our community functions on the basis of trust. We believe most people most of the time, whether they are colleagues, friends, our leaders or the media. If we didn't, how would our community function?

So, though there's a little sport in the annual poll of who New Zealanders trust, there is also a serious message.

It was fascinating to watch the response to the latest survey this week. First the Prime Minister dismissed the poor standing of politicians, then journalists, who also scored poorly, defended themselves.

I heard a radio journalist, for whom I have enormous respect, saying the result was a case of shooting the messenger. I don't think so.

I may be a little cynical after my experience over a number of years but New Zealanders' reaction last week should tell the media generally - clean up your act.

I have come to know how the media works. In this, as in any industry, there are a large number of highly skilled, competent and professional people with real integrity. There are also those who appear unskilled and unprofessional. Their interest is to sensationalise stories whatever the cost to their subjects.

These men and women have a huge responsibility to report the truth, which is interpreted as the truth as they see it.

Has reporting become a particular take that reporters or editors have on a particular set of facts? Does the public understand that?

How do we form opinions based on anything concrete? We are bombarded by journalists' thoughts, beliefs and versions of events as they chase the biggest headline. It can be a short step from reporting news to creating news.

If you have never been a subject for the media, why wouldn't you believe everything that you read, basing your opinion of a person or situation solely on that?

I now find myself constantly questioning what I read and hear. I know many stories are probably a narrow version of the truth. I counsel my friends and family never to take for granted that what they read is true.

But how are we to form views, make effective public decisions and progress as a society if one of the key sources of information, the media, has to be treated with increasing scepticism? What are we to do if the media is becoming a player, not just a messenger?

In my own situation there were times I couldn't, didn't, or wasn't allowed to put my side of the story. That gave journalists licence to create whatever impression they chose - and they did. Many times the person or situation they described bore little resemblance to me or the actuality.

Having been interviewed by many, I can tell you that the professionals are obvious. They do not necessarily write the things you want to read about yourself, but they extract the core of the story from you and apply some balance.

The true professional leaves us to decide. The true professional places the quality of the story ahead of his or her personal profile and viewpoint.

One young journalist, whom I came to admire and trust, told me about covering a particular high-profile murder. She believed that the way she had covered it devastated some of the people involved and caused damage that could not be repaired.

It caused her to take a long break from a career she loved. She now vets every story for accuracy, fairness and balance. She takes seriously the effects on real people.

Lets face it: stories with integrity don't sell newspapers. Scandal, innuendo and suggestion do. Perhaps we, the public, are to blame in our never-ending quest for entertainment and excitement.

Last week's poll reveals people's perspectives. If a customer satisfaction survey suggested you lacked credibility, integrity and trust in the eyes of your customers, you would attempt to change that perspective, wouldn't you?

I believe the customers are increasingly dissatisfied. Media consumption is falling and dispersing as people search for information sources they can trust.

Yet the response of some media commentators to the poll was dismissive. As customers vote with their feet, some media become more strident, more sensational, and less reliable. You reap what you sow: the difficulty is that innocent people can get hurt.