Out to get you

Journalism is not for the faint-hearted. Some of those who deal with journalists would go so far as to suggest the fourth estate is not for the hearted at all.

Nevertheless, I can understand how some may believe that us hardened journos have no heart. After all, in pursuit of the biggest, career-making stories, you are destined to step on many toes and make some formidable enemies.

Perhaps that is why we are so often accused of being "out to get" a particular individual, organisation, company or government department?

I've had several of these accusations in my relatively short career as a journalist. The most recent took place last Friday.

I had called a large JSE-listed company to find out the details of its forthcoming analysts' day. In the past, this company had made some interesting statements during this event and, as ITWeb's intrepid (I like to believe) financial journalist, I intended to report on the matter.

Erroneously I thought this would be quite a simple call: I would get the time and venue details, add these to my diary and forget about it for a week or two. Turns out that only "selected" analysts have been invited to attend the event. Anyone else - including media - who may be interested, will have to watch the Webcast, I was informed.

When I tried to find out why the media was not allowed to attend, an irate investor relations executive splurted out: "You're just pissed off that you can't come. We know you're out to get us."

Now understand it is rare to find me speechless - apparently I even speak in my sleep. But that comment floored me.

Now understand it is rare to find me speechless - apparently I even speak in my sleep. But that comment floored me.

Kimberly Guest, senior journalist, ITWeb

At all times I have endeavoured to be fair in my reporting. I have always sought comment from industry experts, encouraged companies to make the best use of their right to reply and on occasion held a story back by a day to help players respond appropriately.

Of course, if I had not done all of this, I would have been well and truly thrashed by my chief sub-editor and editor. And trust me, there is nothing worse for a journalist than appearing on that square of dull carpeting to "explain yourself and your sloppy piece of reporting". The likelihood of such a story being published? Zero.

No journalist within a media organisation gets to publish whatever he or she wants. Given the importance of the information and the impact one small error could have on many stakeholders, checks and balances are put in every step of the journalism process.

Also, if the facts are not accurate and fairly reported, the publisher could face a crippling lawsuit. And no journalist wants to be the one that causes the demise of a publishing house.

I saw a therapist once about the disastrous string of men I had dated over the previous few years. When I asked him if all men had somehow through some unknown catastrophic event been inherently [messed] up, he told me it was not them but me.

I think the same philosophy applies to companies that believe the media is out to get them.

Journalists can only find what is there. And if there is nothing "wrong" within your organisation, then you have nothing to fear of the media. Of course, if there is something happening which is not quite right, you can be sure there are several people contacting us to let us know about it. And that is how we do our job.

You want to stop the bad press? Then look within and sort out the issues within your business. Want some good press? Then speak to us about the positive steps you are taking; we are actually interested in the good news too.

But if all this fails... then buy an advert; journalists have no say on ad content. We just don't have the 'heart' to be warm and fuzzy despite the facts.