Reporters must focus on quality journalism

Letters

EMTV and NBC TV news reporters, readers and technical teams do a wonderful work of news gathering and broadcasting.
The world is changing and there is increasing appetite for more news, information and updates on the good getting better and the bad getting worse, locally and around the world.
News reporters Scott Waide, Bethany Hariman,  Fabian Hakalits, Mickey Kavera, Lorraine Genia and others are role models with their error-free reporting.
They are some in their near best while others struggle along with incorrect pronunciations of words.
Word pronunciation errors are common among some reporters who are perhaps new on the job. English isn’t our first language so we all struggle to speak it fluently.
But this should not be an excuse to make simple mistakes, especially stress errors on syllables which constitute mispronunciation. Here are some mispronounced words;

  1. The noun development has four syllables; de – ve – lop – ment. The correct syllable to lay stress on is “ve”.  Not ‘de’,  ‘lop’ or ‘ment’. When stress is on a wrong syllable, it sounds abnormal, and can easily be picked up.
  2. Establishment has four syllables. Es  –  ta – blish – ment. The correct stress syllable is “ta”.
  3. Port Moresby has three syllables with light stresses on “Port” and “Mores”.
  4. Australia has three. Aus – tral – ia.  The syllable to stress is “tral”.
  5. Awareness has three syllables. A – ware – ness. The syllable to stress is “ware”.
  6. Technology has four syllables. Tech – no – lo – gy. The syllable to stress is “no”.

Interestingly, we hear some words pronounced in North American accent and the rest in our  PNG local.
Also, the repetitive use of the phrases – “ back to you …” and “thank you …” during weather  report segments should be looked into, to alternate among other everyday phrases.
A news reader smiles all the time, even after reading a sad story.
When viewers share the pain with the victim(s) or the family of the victims in a story, the  reader smiles after the end of the sad story and before news breaks.
Although unintentional, the expression does send mix messages.
Obviously, on-the-job coaching MUST be made mandatory for TV broadcasters’ ongoing skills development.
Lecturers in television broadcasting should take note. And together, focus on improving the quality, demonstrate the prodigy of professional journalism and be the best you can be.

MM Ondassa, Via email