Opinion by Armand Meda
The Press and those who call themselves members of the media should be held to a moral standard when it comes to reporting. Research and accuracy in the story reported should be paramount, for if it is not, be it deliberate or by mistake, not just one’s character, name, business and family could be damaged, hurt and destroyed, but the public could be misled. This is why the public should not have to contemplate if the story reported has a second side to be told with a complete different story to be heard, whether or not it is accurate or deliberately created to fool the people and or to destroy one’s character, business, organisation or future.
When the story is reported and it’s wrong who should be held accountable ? When one or many are devastated by inaccurate news and information or what many like to call fake news, who should be held responsible ? What should be the compensation for the damages caused by false or inaccurate reporting ? Would that compensation be enough to off balance the hurt and damages ?
What the Media and Reporters report to the people of St. Maarten are important for it can control a narrative be it positive or negative news. Fact is the news reported must be at all time truthful. If it is not, many could be caught in a web of lies and deceit and for this there should be consequences, that protects the narrative from being corrupted and a possible victim of false reporting.
Unfortunately we live on an island where many enjoy melee and the story being told by those who calls themselves reporters and bloggers, are sensationalise and fabricated away from the actual truth, to gain public interest or to target others and without consequences this will continue and the depth of fake news will go further, beyond moral lines to fool the readers and or destroy the targeted victim(s).
Reporters and Media outlets that has ulterior motives, rather than just reporting facts and the truth, should not be welcomed or paid attention to in our society. If those we depend on to report truthfully, but instead depend on melee and sensationalism on what they report, because the truth may be too boring or there really isn’t a story to report, or they were hired to get the job done, these news sources should have no place in our society.
Our Media must be at all times trustworthy and not have diabolical intentions behind the scenes of their reported story. Instead their story should be at all times to spread light on situations in a truthful and transparent manner so the public will be aware of the story and the truth. We need to avoid the he say, she say, they say scenario being played out in the public.
And that is why there has to be laws in place, laws upheld and enforced. If you want to report a story to the public, that story should be researched thoroughly, with facts, truth and accurate information. This third world reporting system we have must end, and we must move forward with a better system the people, readers and listeners of the news can trust and believe in good faith. The moral compass of our Press and Reporters are extremely important to the future of this island we call home.
Forward is our only way.
