IN the recent past, news media organisations have been accused of promoting hate speech between individuals and or organisations. It has also come to some people’s light that some journalists in some news media organisations are promoting negative images of some organisations. But how far true can this be? And if it is true, how can it be avoided?
This article highlights, on one hand, some of the arguments organisations give for reporters to be realistic in their reporting; and on the other hand, arguments reporters give for reporting what they do. In the process, the article covers critical issues in the relationship between Public Relations (PR) practitioners and news media organisations; and journalists in particular. It also highlights the need to increase capacities in both other organisations and in the news media organisations to improve on the relationship between organisations and the news media.
One of the Lusaka-based PR practitioners called and asked this writer whether he (this writer) has observed the common negative trends of some newspapers and some radio and television stations; especially private ones where they always report negative things against certain individuals and or some organisations.
The caller who spoke on anonymity cited how some news media organisations report against, say, University Teaching Hospital (UTH). This PR practitioner said while each organisation has its own challenges, it cannot be true that whatever an organisation does is wrong or is not in public interest.
The stated caller who does not work for UTH said there are many good things that happen at UTH and in many other organisations in this country which most news media organisations don’t report.
The PR practitioner said it is like one bad thing out of 100 good things is perceived as the only event; and the common practice in the concerned organisation.
The concerned PR practitioner said the way some journalists report news in our country is like there is nothing good happening in most organisations or in the country as a whole.
The caller said although it is said that ‘bad’ news makes good news; even ‘good’ news that is in public interest is really good news.
One caller cited law enforcement and health institutions as among the institutions where some members of the public have justifiably or unjustifiably lost confidence in their services because of a series of negative publicity on such institutions.
One caller urged reporters to do enough homework; and look at both sides of an organisation before they report negatively against a respective organisation.
But some reporters interviewed on the same issue said journalists write what their reliable sources tell them; and they verify facts through using their five senses where possible. It was also stated that such observations can be true; especially when one considers the pressure under which most journalists work.
It was argued that if journalists were painting unfavourable images of organisations, the latter would have refuted the reports in question with facts.
‘We write what we are told; and we verify the facts. In some cases, we see what we are told against some organisations;’ one journalist who didn’t want to be named for fear of compromising his duties with some organisations said.
Another reporter from another news media organisation said most news media organisations don’t have as many reporters as expected.
‘We are very few reporters in each news media organisation with too many activities to cover in a day. And we have to meet deadlines of our spaces or airwaves. Our supervisors are on us to bring newsworthy stories. So, we have little time for research!’
Some journalists also blamed some organisations for not calling them whenever they are doing whatever is perceived to be in public interest. They argued that with few reporters in each news media organisation against thousands of organisations and many other activities to cover; few reporters cannot be everywhere at any time when some good things are happening in organisations.
It was argued that such situations demand that organisations should be pro-active in inviting news media organisations whenever such organisations are going to do what is in public interest.
Some reporters wondered what PR practitioners in these organisations do if they cannot invite or just call reporters when they are about to do certain things perceived to be in public interest?
Therefore, some journalists who also didn’t want to be named for fear of jeopardizing their duties said if reporters come across information that is damaging to the organisation, they have no option; but reporting what they have been told or what they have seen.
‘If such a situation always puts a certain organisation in negative publicity, it’s unfortunate; but we report the truth;’ one reporter said.’
But one concerned caller also said in Zambia today, it appears we have just developed a culture of complaining too much for nothing.
This caller cited a situation where, one morning, he tuned in to a certain radio station. He discovered that at that time, the stated radio station was full of people complaining against certain organisations or against a named political party. Then, he decided to switch on to another radio station. It was again a series of complaints and condemnations against individuals and some organisations. When he tuned to a third radio station, it was also full of complaints and blame at those early morning hours.
The concerned caller also said if one watches most private television stations, one finds that most news and programmes are those of attacking others and portraying a negative picture of some organisations or some people.
‘Is there nothing good happening in the country?’ he asked.
It was observed that while it is necessary to talk about bad things happening in organisations and in the country in general, it is also necessary to also disseminate the good developments taking place in our society.
It was reported that the sustained negative publicity against some organisations, unnecessarily creates unfavourable image against some organisations to such an extent that psychologically, some members of the public shun or might start shunning such organisations even when not all is bad about the concerned organisations.
This situation of reporters being accused of promoting negative publicity against some organisations can be reduced if organisations employ professional PR practitioners. It can further be eradicated if organisations facilitate professional PR practice in the PR practitioners employed in these organisations.
As already alluded to, organisations through their respective professional PR practitioners should be pro-active in inviting reporters on newsworthy events. This further demands that PR practitioners in organisations should know what a newsworthy event is.
With improvements in communication technologies, a polite call; and apologizing for a sudden notification of an urgent event would help reporters to cover good things happening is most organisations.
This invites organisations to have effective media relations for reporters to cover as many events and as much details about concerned organisation as possible. Collect business cards from news media editors and reporters to facilitate your organisation calling such personnel whenever necessary.
Failure for organisations to enhance effective media relations might sustain regular negative publicity in some organisations because reporters argue that they report what they come across.
But what some journalists have revealed on staffing capacities in news media organisations also is food for thought for news media proprietors and their managers.
With increase in population and also increase in organisations with many socio-economic, political, legal and environmental activities taking place throughout the country, news media organisations need to increase their capacities proportion to increase in population, organisations and their activities.
The limited number of reporters in each news media organisation creates challenges in the much needed and talked about specialization and in-depth reporting in journalism.
Training levels in reporters in news media organisations can also affect how a reporter perceived news in organisations. Therefore, there is need to upgrade some professional knowledge in some reporters. This invites effective staff training and development policies in news media organisations.
Limited equipment and transport facilities in each news media organisation also invite some challenges in how such organisations cover other organisations near and far.
The mutual and beneficial relationship between journalism and PR is as old as journalism itself. Reporters need organisations for news; and the latter need mass media to disseminate information to their various stakeholders at once.
Therefore, both other organisations and the news media organisations are supposed to increase and improve on their capacities to relate and serve each other effectively.
The author is a PR Trainer and Consultant.
For comments and ideas, contact:
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