Misconceptions about journalism
It frequently occurs in Macau that public officers and those in top level positions seem to lack the know-
ledge about basic concepts that are indispensable to the activity that they are supposedly managing. To demonstrate this idea, nothing more is needed than to attend a Legislative Assembly session and see all the inanities said and done there.
This ignorance is extended to large sectors of the public, as we might witness when uninformed people have their say in the media or in the endless public consultation sessions.
One of the last debates that left me puzzled shows a glaring misunderstanding about what a journalist is and their role in society. It all started during the New Year when TDM decided to halt the weekly outdoor program Macau Forum, alleging a “lack of human resources” and the “need to focus the work on the coming Legislative Assembly election.”
Lawmakers like Pereira Coutinho and grassroots associations slammed the cessation. It is true, as Coutinho commented, that the program was a plat-
form for Macau people to put forth and discuss problems of public concern. After months of protest the show recently returned to the airwaves with new rules prescribed, including “the right to refuse announced or prospective candidates to the AL to speak to a live audience.”
The same forces that (rightly) protested when the program was suspended are now slamming the rules. “The public’s right to demand lawmakers explanations regarding their work can’t be restricted under any circumstances. It’s anecdotal,” said Pereira Coutinho about the “new rules,” quoted by Ponto Final. The omnipresent New Macau Association President Jason Chao added: “We heard rumors that someone in the government ordered the suspension of the program to TDM, because there were fears that it could be used by persons like us to gain advantage in an election year. These new rules seem to indicate that the suspicions were true.”
It’s obvious that the suspension of the program due to alleged technical reasons is questionable. But Macau Forum is supposed to be a televised debate moderated by journalists. Anywhere else in the world (except maybe in places like North Korea) in a debate of that kind, it’s up to the editorial team (made up of journalists) to choose the guests and moderate the audience intervention. The criteria they choose should be “journalistic,” assuring in a balanced way the right to freedom of expression and opinions and avoiding the danger of manipulation. Otherwise we will have some lawmakers and associations attempting a hostile takeover of the debates to run election campaigns.
Since we’re talking about journalism, let me say that Jason Chao’s pretension to be a journalist and the fact that the Government Information Bureau seems to be taking it seriously should insult all the professional journalists in Macau. Let’s recall what happened during Wu Bangguo’s (Chairman of the National People’s Congress) visit to Macau. Chao was filming the visit allegedly as the Director of the “Macau Concealers” (MC) publication. He was (wrongly) detained by the Judiciary Police for several hours. He alleged that this hindered his right to cover the event “as a journalist.” This is a mystification, because no one can be the president of the most active political association in Macau and, at the same time, be a journalist.
Back to basics: MC is a propaganda pamphlet. If the Press Law was regulated, it could never be considered a journalistic publication. And Jason Chao could never be considered a journalist. Don’t think that I’m being protectionist or arguing for the restraint of press freedom. The undisputed fact is that not all of those who write in newspapers, talk on the radio or appear on the TV are journalists.
A journalist follows a demanding Code of Ethics. It’s true that the local Press Law doesn’t establish that Code, but there are many international codes available to reflect on. For example, the International Federation of Journalists published standards of professional conduct for journalists, positing: “1. Respect for truth and for the right of the public to truth is the first duty of the journalist. 2. The journalist shall at all times defend the principles of freedom in the honest collection and publication of news.” “Reporter Chao” does political campaigns, not journalism.
(by PB, in MDT)
ledge about basic concepts that are indispensable to the activity that they are supposedly managing. To demonstrate this idea, nothing more is needed than to attend a Legislative Assembly session and see all the inanities said and done there.
This ignorance is extended to large sectors of the public, as we might witness when uninformed people have their say in the media or in the endless public consultation sessions.
One of the last debates that left me puzzled shows a glaring misunderstanding about what a journalist is and their role in society. It all started during the New Year when TDM decided to halt the weekly outdoor program Macau Forum, alleging a “lack of human resources” and the “need to focus the work on the coming Legislative Assembly election.”
Lawmakers like Pereira Coutinho and grassroots associations slammed the cessation. It is true, as Coutinho commented, that the program was a plat-
form for Macau people to put forth and discuss problems of public concern. After months of protest the show recently returned to the airwaves with new rules prescribed, including “the right to refuse announced or prospective candidates to the AL to speak to a live audience.”
The same forces that (rightly) protested when the program was suspended are now slamming the rules. “The public’s right to demand lawmakers explanations regarding their work can’t be restricted under any circumstances. It’s anecdotal,” said Pereira Coutinho about the “new rules,” quoted by Ponto Final. The omnipresent New Macau Association President Jason Chao added: “We heard rumors that someone in the government ordered the suspension of the program to TDM, because there were fears that it could be used by persons like us to gain advantage in an election year. These new rules seem to indicate that the suspicions were true.”
It’s obvious that the suspension of the program due to alleged technical reasons is questionable. But Macau Forum is supposed to be a televised debate moderated by journalists. Anywhere else in the world (except maybe in places like North Korea) in a debate of that kind, it’s up to the editorial team (made up of journalists) to choose the guests and moderate the audience intervention. The criteria they choose should be “journalistic,” assuring in a balanced way the right to freedom of expression and opinions and avoiding the danger of manipulation. Otherwise we will have some lawmakers and associations attempting a hostile takeover of the debates to run election campaigns.
Since we’re talking about journalism, let me say that Jason Chao’s pretension to be a journalist and the fact that the Government Information Bureau seems to be taking it seriously should insult all the professional journalists in Macau. Let’s recall what happened during Wu Bangguo’s (Chairman of the National People’s Congress) visit to Macau. Chao was filming the visit allegedly as the Director of the “Macau Concealers” (MC) publication. He was (wrongly) detained by the Judiciary Police for several hours. He alleged that this hindered his right to cover the event “as a journalist.” This is a mystification, because no one can be the president of the most active political association in Macau and, at the same time, be a journalist.
Back to basics: MC is a propaganda pamphlet. If the Press Law was regulated, it could never be considered a journalistic publication. And Jason Chao could never be considered a journalist. Don’t think that I’m being protectionist or arguing for the restraint of press freedom. The undisputed fact is that not all of those who write in newspapers, talk on the radio or appear on the TV are journalists.
A journalist follows a demanding Code of Ethics. It’s true that the local Press Law doesn’t establish that Code, but there are many international codes available to reflect on. For example, the International Federation of Journalists published standards of professional conduct for journalists, positing: “1. Respect for truth and for the right of the public to truth is the first duty of the journalist. 2. The journalist shall at all times defend the principles of freedom in the honest collection and publication of news.” “Reporter Chao” does political campaigns, not journalism.
(by PB, in MDT)
Etiquetas: Crónica
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