I
have closely and keenly followed with interest the case involving William
Brian, the famous Nightly Anchor at NBC News. I first saw the story on the News
feed of a Public Relations Group I follow on LinkedIn and as a young professional
seeking to master the art of Reputation and Crisis Management, I thought aptly
paying attention to it will be key in shaping the personality and the scope of knowledge
I need to effectively discharge my duties or my future career.
Consistent
with my writing style, I will at this juncture seek my reader’s indulgence to
provide a brief background information on the man at the center of controversy.
I intend to provide a succinct analysis of the events shook the very
foundations of his enviable career, courting for him public disdain.
The Man Brian William.
He
was arguably one of the best News Anchors in the history of broadcasting in America.
Having covered many life-threatening stories, and mastered his art, only his
invertebrate enemies would question his credibility and competence. His
journalistic prowess and high sense for details, had endeared him to many News
lovers.
He
rose through the ranks since his joining of the NBC Network in 2004 to become
the Managing Editor and anchor for their outlet’s Nightly News.
Many
Honors and Awards had capped his many years of journalistic practice. Notably,
the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism and the most coveted George
Foster Peabody Awards are mentioned. He was both an inspiration to his
contemporaries and many upcoming broadcasters.
With
this glittering resume, one would have thought that the News anchor was above
reproach, at least an ethical or professional one.
But
unfortunately this venerable News Anchors was not able to live up to the high
public expectations and the confidence that was reposed in him.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In January 30, 2015, the NBC News Anchor,
William Brian was filmed taking a soldier to a New York Ranger game. The public
address announcer at the game explained to the crowd that US. Army command
Sergent Major Tim Terpak was responsible for the safety of Brian Williams and
his NBC News team after their Chinook helicopter was hit and crippled by an enemy fire during the Iraq invasion.(New
York Times,o4-02-2015)
This
claim was flatly dismissed by the flight engineer on the grounded helicopter.
Following this development, Williams couldn’t but
concede and apologies for the misinformation, further attributing the glitch to
fog of memory.
‘‘You
are absolutely right and I was wrong. My crew and I were in the helicopter
behind the one that had been hit, ’’he confessed.
Some
Media commenters and pundits have averred that his supposed misrepresentation
of facts was ostensibly to court public sympathy for the life-threatening
adventures that journalists the world over endure in their bid to provide the
public with information.
Others have also posited that his claim was
but a PR for the military command, having profusely showered praises on them
for their patience and courtesy.
PUBLIC REACTION.
Having
been let down by a man who they had so
much trust and confidence in , the public took to Social media and other avenues to express
their disgust and regret over the development. While some sought to impugn the
integrity of the NBC, others called for William’s abrupt dismissal.
The
public furor that characterized these events forced the network to be on the
defense, according to analysts.
Some
of his contemporaries also reacted` same, taking to their blogs to condemn the act.
For the many articles that I read on the subject, I thought Sandi Sonnenfeld’s ‘The
Naked Emperor’ stood tall. Not only was her analysis spot on, her
though-provoking article generated the kind of buzz that befitted the gravity
of the case.
SUSPENSION WITHOUT PAY
On
February, 6 2015, management of the outlet announced a six month suspension
without pay verdict, leaving not only William’s integrity but also his
professional career in the balance.
MY OBSERVATIONS
The
more I read articles on the afore-discussed matter, the deeper my writing instinct
pricked me. I thought I should just analyze the events in the light of the
prevailing journalistic practice in our country. I have no moral right to
question the integrity or the professional competence of William when he has apologized
and sought to justify his actions. What I will do at this juncture is to
express my views on how journalism is being practiced, taking cognizance to
William’s case.
Although,
I majored in Public relations and Advertising and not Journalism, some of the
Mass Media courses especially a course in Media law had exposed me to the code
of conducts and the legal frameworks that formed the basis for journalistic
practice. This gives me some credibility to discuss the subject of
professionalism in the media.
To
be blunt, I am not very impressed with the way some section of the media
prosecute their duties. I have been wondering how some journalists are to survive
if the William’s yardstick of misrepresentation is to be used as their measure.
How
many times haven’t we seen some journalists blatantly peddle falsehood in the
face of stark fact? Can we count/quantify the effect some of these diabolic on
the reputation of individuals and organization? Do we have journalist with impeachable
moral character? Why do some of our journalist adopt, somewhat, an overtly
populist posture when discussing issues of national concern? Why can’t some of
our media owners put in stringent mechanism that will help self-regulation?
I
am not sure some of our Journalists can answer all these questions and still
raise their heads above their shoulders.
What
leaves me with sleepless nights is the seemingly connivance of the public in
some unprofessional conduct by some of our journalists. As can be seen above,
it is evident that public opinion played a major role in restoring sanity in
William’s case. Can the same be said of the Ghanaian public? What form of
information do the Public hanker for? What kind of information is the public
likely to pay maximum attention to? What kind of journalists to the Public
trust? What kind of programmes are they loyal to?
From
Active Audience theory, I have come to know that the public is an active player
and a key determiner in what they received as information. If this is anything
to go by, then I am unable to absolve the public of culpability on issues of
unprofessional conducts, aware that the preponderance of media outlets in the
country imposes an obligation on the media to provide contents that serves the
whims and caprices of the public.
The
above, however, is not to make a case for unprofessionalism in the noble
practice of journalism. As the Gatekeeper, Watch dog and Educator, it is
expected that the media rises above commercial interest, albeit critical given
the prevailing economic circumstances of the country.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I
submit that while exposing the inefficiencies, crass incompetence and the
corrupt tendencies of Public officials and other state actors, the media must
also do self-introspection and weed out elements whose conducts continue to
bring the noble profession into disrepute. They must show that they can equally
stand up to and pass the test that they subject Public officials and the entire
populace to.
Additionally,
State institutions whose responsibility it is to whip the media in line must
rise to the occasion.
Finally,
I recommend that the public eschew all forms of pettiness and subjectivity, remain
fair to the facts and find ways of cross-checking facts as that will avert the
incidence of misrepresentations and misinformation.
MY DREAM
I
have a dream that the Ghanaian media will rise above all other interests and
put the interest of the nation at heart. I am certain that a time will come
where fairness, precision and objectivity will be their hallmark and virtues
that will not compromise on.
I
have a dream that one day state actors whose responsible it is to regulate the
media will be adequately resourced, both legally and financially, to be able to
discharge their duties.
I
have a dream that the public will cross-check and verify any information that
the media provides and will not accept them hook, line and sinker. I am also
certain that they will eschew all forms of vituperative tendencies and subject
both the media and state actors to the integrity test.
Conclusion.
Credibility is said to
be the currency of the practice of journalism. Where a journalist loses it, the
public must make them pay as Williams is paying.
Samuel
Osarfo Boateng,
0541842198.
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