By Zubeida Jaffer –
he recent spat at eTV has placed the spotlight on editorial independence.
The resignation of its head, Marcel Golding begs many questions: Do owners matter – does union ownership of media bring news coverage of greater meaning to the working people of this country? Do those who own media companies use news coverage as a carrot to win more business contracts from government? Is Golding’s championing of editorial independence a smokescreen for his share dealings?
Journalists across the country are examining some of these issues to a greater or lesser extent. Each issue requires exploration. The Journalist has decided to focus on editorial independence. The tussle between owners of companies comes and goes and we leave it to others to dissect. Editorial independence is central to quality journalism and is enshrined in law and in media company policies. The drama at eTV provides an opportunity to examine how well we are doing in keeping editorial and management separate. The aim is to create as much space for the journalists to do their work without the pressure of government, political party or commercial interest.
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