What is your basic understanding of news? What is news and what determines news? What is good news and what is bad news? Well, those are some of the questions I get when going about daily work of informing, educating and entertaining the deserving public.
Now without proper understanding and clarity of the above questions, as a reader you will always have problems, and sometimes unfounded concerns, when news is about you or those directly associated with you. 

Well, in short let me put it this way to answer the determinants of news. I personally believe that news is any piece of information or events/happenings that has all the values and attributes of prominence to it, which is within proximity to those concerned, which is timely, which has impact and holds massive human interest.

On what good and bad news is, that I believe is anyone’s guess but if you follow and understand the processes or news qualities I just explained above, you should be able to arrive at a very comfortable conclusion – with the application of inductive or deductive reasoning of course.
Now, failure on your part to understand and grasp the basics of news values, you will most definitely end up hating or victimising a journalist. Just like a raging pandemic, news does not choose colour, gender, social status or the deepness of your pockets. If it’s about you and it’s you that has to provide answers to the public on that particular day, then it’s you and no two ways about it.

 As the saying goes, news does not discriminate, so why hate on the journalists? If it’s good news and to the benefit of the greater society, we will write and amplify it and when its bad news, the same logic should apply. 
It will not always be good news, unfortunately that isn’t the way life works, so as a journalist it is my duty to tell those not-so-good stories, too. It’s called being a good journalist, and not your personal PR guy. 

It’s becoming nauseating see sport administrators, some clearly incompetent and overstayed their welcome at the offices they hold, unashamedly coming after journalists and blaming the media when things go wrong. Some reporters definitely fish for bad news and address topics in full depth with limited information, but I’m not referring to those individuals in this context.
My advice to sport administrators is that when things go wrong, especially when that gigantic news tornado heads your way, you should be brave enough to look yourself in the mirror and do some soul search. Don’t just lash out at the journalists for doing their jobs, which involves among others getting paid to tell the truth – nothing but the truth. 

Instead of causing a stir and embarrassing yourself further, do us all a favour and own up to your mistakes. It’s not our fault in the media when you drink, rob, steal, smoke or whatever else causes you to use poor judgment. Good reporters do their homework. Not all reporters, but good reporters. So if the information is accurate, and everything in a report is true, then please take it for what it is.
Sports is about accountability. So be accountable and man up in good and bad times, and stop blaming the media. Until next time, sharp sharp!!