Media game politicians play

WE play a curious game – politicians and we in the media – when it comes to a time like this week when politicians are crunching numbers to try to change an existing government or form government after a national general election.
Often the media gets accused of being sensational or unnecessarily provocative, or even plain mischievous and pandering innuendo and lies.
As often, we get accused of crunching numbers ourselves and that we are out to get someone or somebody or that it is the media which is out to change governments and not the politicians.
It is the old tale of the “make or break governments” principle that is attached to the media.
That is the side of the story that the public is familiar with.
The less familiar side is that, often, the very people who will stand up and do a publicity stunt and go on ranting and raving about inaccuracies in the media are also the same persons who cause much of the publicity they themselves disagree with.
They will let an underling or associate go to the media with a story line to test the waters, as it were, to see which way the wind is blowing.
A story might be planted, for instance, that one or the other political party is talking with the government or the opposition. Then, they sit back and see what the reaction is.
Then, when the media publishes such a story, this very same person might be loudest in knocking the media about publishing innuendos and trying to change the government.
Unfortunately, the media is bound by its code of ethics to always protect our sources at all costs so, often, we have to take the nonsense without a word in our own defence.
Often, in the manner described here, the media is used to check out what the other side is doing, or how strong it might be or whether one or another group on either side is in communication with the other.
Often, important persons themselves will talk to the media on condition of anonymity and, when they are published, they might make an outright denial.
This is the game of politics that is played everywhere and it is practised best in Papua New Guinea.
The media cannot remain silent forever on this kind of wheeling and dealing.
For one, its own reputation is dented by the kind of accusations that are hurled at it almost on a daily basis by politicians.
For another, in keeping silent, the media engages in a kind of game that is dubious and might even be described as aiding and abetting deceit and falsehood.
We must be honourable in respecting the code of ethics of our profession, to protect our sources where exposure might endanger them physically or emotionally or even where they might stand to lose their jobs.
That, we must and do tend to respect.
What the media must not become is a bouncing board for politicians to play their silly little games.
What the media cannot allow itself to be is to be used to promote a political agenda or promote one side or the other.
Yes, partisan journalism, particularly in politics, is done in other parts of the world but, in this country where accurate information is in short supply, the media is duty bound to rise above politics.
It must hone its ability to get at the truth and to defend the truth always.
Where political nonsensical is played, and that is played a lot of times here during times of power brokering such as is happening now, then the media is duty bound to say what is going on without fear or favour.
If that is going to cost a couple of good contacts in political circles, so be it.
The media has a duty to the people to tell it as it is rather than pandering to the public what the politicians want us to.
This is what we are called to do and this is what we must do.
It is time politicians treat the media with some respect and for the media to ensure this happens.