Kuda Brandt
With social media at our fingertips, everyone has become a journalist, with the ability to churn out information at lightning speed to masses of audiences in one go.
The days of waiting for the 20h00 news bulletin or salivating to grab the first copy of the paper in the morning are now in the rearview mirror.
Citizen journalism has democratised the news media landscape and amplified the voice of the voiceless.
But there are fortunately still some core principles that set seasoned journalists apart from the common man on the street.
Break the breaking news addiction
Breaking news is normally news that is crucial enough to break regular programming because it has just occurred; hence, it needs to interrupt the schedule and take the lead.
It is important to be the first to tell a story, and it is even somewhat addictive to pull the trigger first, but this is normally when non-factual information seeps in.
This is not to say news must not be reported in real-time but to remember that while a citizen journalist can publish with little or no consequences, credibility is everything for a trained journalist.
It has a bearing on your reputation – and overall, a journalist has the duty to uphold the principles of this noble profession, such as accuracy, reliability and accountability.
It is better to delay a bit than rush and be left with an egg on your face.
Errors may occur, but the more frequent they become, the more untrustworthy you become.
We all have that one journalist or media house we trust so much that one does not feel compelled to immediately verify the content. I am sure we have all heard people say, “I saw it on so and so’s post, so it has to be true”. That is the ultimate goal.
Spectator not player
It is no easy feat to always maintain the role of spectator. Sometimes, especially when emotions are fired up, one cannot help but jump in, get on the field and take on the role of the defender. You then subconsciously view matters from your perspective and become biased, sometimes even unapologetically.
While this is somewhat acceptable for a citizen journalist, a seasoned one is not afforded this same ‘luxury’.
Objectivity is of the essence, and the role of a journalist is not to fuel the fire and become part of the story but to take a step back.
Detach and give educated and ethical commentary and report on what caused the fire, who should be charged with arson – and more importantly, how to quench the flames.
Hold people accountable, but with solution-driven mindsets that aid in educating the populous and, overall, building the nation.
Top-up the English bundles
Of course, it is not our first language. Of course, it came on a boat from a faraway land. Of course, it is not superior to our vernaculars.
However, fortunately or unfortunately, English is the official language in Namibia, and journalists will be held to a higher standard in this regard at all times.
Seeing errors, even a tiny typo, might not be earth-shattering, but it insinuates carelessness in paying attention to detail and again causes trust issues.
In a nutshell, everyone is a journalist, but what separates rookies from professionals is comprehending and applying a strict media code of ethics.
*Kuda Brandt is a former news sub-editor, anchor and journalist. The opinions expressed in this article are her own.