By Jim Poling Sr.
It was a close call. Very close.
I was driving a narrow dirt road that took a sudden, sharp turn. A turn directly into a piercing July sunset.
I
was blinded, and slapped down the visor but still could not see because
the sunlight was diffused by the smokey film on the inside of the
windshield. I braked and skidded to a stop, just in front of a row of
thick-waisted oaks and maples.
was blinded, and slapped down the visor but still could not see because
the sunlight was diffused by the smokey film on the inside of the
windshield. I braked and skidded to a stop, just in front of a row of
thick-waisted oaks and maples.
No
one smokes in my car, but I later learned the smokey film is created by
what auto buffs call “off-gassing” from dashboard plastic.
one smokes in my car, but I later learned the smokey film is created by
what auto buffs call “off-gassing” from dashboard plastic.
Whatever, it reminded me that there is hidden dirt, often dangerous, that only sunshine will reveal.
That
got me thinking about journalism, which is being beaten savagely and
unfairly by politicians and their bureaucrats who want people to hear
and see only what they think they should hear and see.
got me thinking about journalism, which is being beaten savagely and
unfairly by politicians and their bureaucrats who want people to hear
and see only what they think they should hear and see.
Autocratic
politicians are working to turn the masses against journalists and
their reporting, calling them the “enemy of the people.” Ontario Premier
Doug Ford says journalists are “getting into the weeds” when they ask
questions about questionable government appointments.
politicians are working to turn the masses against journalists and
their reporting, calling them the “enemy of the people.” Ontario Premier
Doug Ford says journalists are “getting into the weeds” when they ask
questions about questionable government appointments.
The
campaign against journalists is working well for the autocrats.
Journalists are being imprisoned or murdered at a record rate around the
world. There are fewer reporters, photographers and editorialists to
ask questions that voters need to have answered.
Article 19, a human
rights group, says that hostility toward the media is becoming
normalized globally because of the growing number of “strongman”
populist leaders who vilify reporters simply for doing their jobs.
campaign against journalists is working well for the autocrats.
Journalists are being imprisoned or murdered at a record rate around the
world. There are fewer reporters, photographers and editorialists to
ask questions that voters need to have answered.
Article 19, a human
rights group, says that hostility toward the media is becoming
normalized globally because of the growing number of “strongman”
populist leaders who vilify reporters simply for doing their jobs.
The
increasing hostility towards journalists comes at a time of
unprecedented job losses in the news industry. The U.S. Labour
Department has reported that the American newspaper industry lost almost
60 per cent of its jobs – a total of 271,800 – between 1990 and 2016.
The magazine industry did not fare much better, losing 36 per cent of its jobs during the same period.
increasing hostility towards journalists comes at a time of
unprecedented job losses in the news industry. The U.S. Labour
Department has reported that the American newspaper industry lost almost
60 per cent of its jobs – a total of 271,800 – between 1990 and 2016.
The magazine industry did not fare much better, losing 36 per cent of its jobs during the same period.
In Canada, the Canadian Media Guild has reported 10,000 lost media jobs between 2010 and 2016.
As
losses mount, more people turn to social media sites like Facebook and
Google for “news,” which often is gossip, speculation, rumour or
information not thoroughly fact checked.
losses mount, more people turn to social media sites like Facebook and
Google for “news,” which often is gossip, speculation, rumour or
information not thoroughly fact checked.
Even some online news outlets are beginning to struggle under the weight of Facebook and Google popularity.
Buzzfeed,
the American online media company, announced earlier this year layoffs
of 15 per cent, or 220 workers. Verizon, which includes HuffPost, AOL
and Yahoo News, announced 800 job cuts in its media division.
the American online media company, announced earlier this year layoffs
of 15 per cent, or 220 workers. Verizon, which includes HuffPost, AOL
and Yahoo News, announced 800 job cuts in its media division.
Our
world is in serious trouble with fewer and fewer professionally-trained
journalists. Without them, strongmen, corrupters and con artists do
what they wish without anyone informing the public.
world is in serious trouble with fewer and fewer professionally-trained
journalists. Without them, strongmen, corrupters and con artists do
what they wish without anyone informing the public.
Some
complain that journalists focus too much on things going wrong in
society. Too much negative news, they say. I’ve never believed that
because every day I read positive stories of human good.
complain that journalists focus too much on things going wrong in
society. Too much negative news, they say. I’ve never believed that
because every day I read positive stories of human good.
Negative things are out there and need to be exposed.
That
was explained beautifully by a 1962 exchange between Frederick Nolting
Jr., the American ambassador to Saigon, and French journalist François
Sully, working as a Newsweek war correspondent.
was explained beautifully by a 1962 exchange between Frederick Nolting
Jr., the American ambassador to Saigon, and French journalist François
Sully, working as a Newsweek war correspondent.
Nolting
was upset about negative coverage of the Vietnam War, which was going
much more poorly than U.S. ambassadors and politicians were saying.
was upset about negative coverage of the Vietnam War, which was going
much more poorly than U.S. ambassadors and politicians were saying.
“Why, Monsieur Sully, do you always see the hole in the doughnut?” Nolting demanded of Sully.
“Because, Monsieur l’Ambassadeur,” Sully replied, “there is a hole in the doughnut.”
(This exchange quoted from the 1988 book A Bright and Shining Lie by author Neil Sheehan).
Monday, I personally experienced the ugliness against working journalists.
I
was in Algonquin Park freelance reporting on two teenage girls missing
since Thursday. I went to Smoke Lake air base to ask the Ontario
Provincial Police if they had a command centre there and if I could be
authorized to report from it.
was in Algonquin Park freelance reporting on two teenage girls missing
since Thursday. I went to Smoke Lake air base to ask the Ontario
Provincial Police if they had a command centre there and if I could be
authorized to report from it.
I went into the base hangar and asked one OPP officer, who volunteered to go and ask his sargeant on my behalf.
As
he left I was grabbed physically on the arm by a belligerent Algonquin
Park ranger who demanded to know if I could read, a reference to a No
Unauthorized Persons sign at the open entrance gate.
he left I was grabbed physically on the arm by a belligerent Algonquin
Park ranger who demanded to know if I could read, a reference to a No
Unauthorized Persons sign at the open entrance gate.
More on that incident in next week’s column.
