By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. The failure to different between a political journalist and a political activist resulted to a huge confusion within the Mass Democratic Movement(MDM) where some ignorant political activists would label fair reporting on issues involving King Mswati as “selling out”.
But journalists whether independent or State controlled must adhere to journalism standards and ethics, you cannot just label King Mswati as sick merely by looking at his body and without verifying the information, it’s unethical and the moment you do that, the international community will perceive you as an unethical news platform or journalist.
Recently, we published a story where we clarified that, King Mswati is not sick but dieting, we quoted an anonymous Inkhosikati(his wife) but, rogue political activist blasted me as as the editor of this publication saying “I am the agent of the King and protecting Mswati”.
But let me make it clear that, the term “independent media” does not mean independent journalists must be controlled by leaders of political parties and I’ve been clarifying this countless times.
Some leaders of political parties are ignorant with no direction and one wonders who told them that they are capable of controlling the media and telling journalists what to publish?.
Journalism ethics are global and not influenced by the editor’s political beliefs, there’s a global ethical rule that must be followed when reporting about any person‘s health and political activists must know that, I am not ready to compromise my global reputation to please them.
If I reported that the King is sick, I must be able to prove that indeed, he is sick, otherwise, it’s me who will lose credibility not the lunatic political activists who always think they have the monopoly to think or dictate how others must think.
The media is an independent institution and it’s a pity because almost everyone within the political spectrum wants to control the media and in the event they fail, they start calling the editor of this publication names.
Ethically, journalists cannot just label Mswati sick merely by looking at his body, I am also exercising and trying to lose weight hence I understand that the body is likely to change when you are exercising, it’s only a doctor who can declare King Mswati sick not a journalist, we are not doctors.
But political activists are free to label Mswati sick, in politics you can “lie and survive” but in journalism you cannot intentionally lie and survive particularly, about another person’s health as doing so will destroy your journalism career and reputation.
It is therefore important to clarify that, the press is not ready to unite with political stupidity, as the editor I want to be independent so that I can take full responsibility of the articles I publish not to be told by individuals who want to push their political agenda.
Anyone who wish to see the King sick and dying must keep that wish to himself/herself, we can only conclude that Mswati is sick once we satisfy ourselves that indeed he is sick not to publish political wishes.
The independent media is under attack from individuals who claim to be fighting for democracy, one wonders who told them that, democracy is about controlling the independent media, to them the term “independent media” means journalists must be controlled by them.
Political parties must establish online platforms where they will publish their political propaganda, the independent media must remain independent and be divorced from the control of political activist because some of these political leaders are very stupid, they claim to be fighting for democracy yet they want to use the media to seize power and once they take over this country, the political symptoms suggests that, they will undermine the independence of the media as well.
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