BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - ON hearing the term “Living in a frog’s world” for the first time in their life, a group of senior secondary-level students was too conceited to admit it was alien to their vocabulary and knowledge.
However, as it is in every society, there are a few members with enquiring minds and this was evident within the group.
Each member of the group had their own perception of the term, but the youngest of them sought the assistance of his English Master.
He was told that the lone survivor from among some 80 frogs, hatched on the wall of a 30-foot dried up well, had been living there from the day of its birth.
The English Master further told him that the well had an opening of approximately eight feet in circumference and from below the frog could have seen the sun when it was directly overhead, the sky, movement of the clouds at daylight, and stars when they were out at night.
That was his world and he knew of no other. However, three days after a thunderstorm and torrential rainfall the well was flooded, and as the frog floated to the top he immediately wanted to submerge upon seeing the vast expanse of the now exposed world he never knew existed.
Today, there are many people the world over, including St. Kitts and Nevis, who live in the frog’s world when it comes to the role of the media.
It is not that they are ignorant of the fact that the media are there to inform, educate, teach and entertain them; it is just that they despise their pictures and those of their relatives, as well as their names being publicised, especially in the print media.
These are the same people who would purchase a newspaper or log on to online media houses such as SKNVibes.com to read about others and see their faces boldly printed on the pages. Yet they threateningly advance towards reporters and verbally abuse them, especially outside the Courts of the Federation, whenever a relative or friend makes his/her exit under escort.
Additionally, these are the same people who would provide confidential information to reporters about those they despise or want to expose to the public, but demonstrate aggression and anger when questions are asked about themselves.
It is time that we all understand that the foundation of the press’ existence is “the constitutional right of the individual to free expression and to hold and exchange ideas.
They must also understand that in a liberal democracy the press strives on truth and fairness, and journalists have a right to report and comment without intimidation and fear.
On the other hand, the press is not beyond scrutiny, for it must report robustly, fearlessly and fairly and must be willing to accept challenges and debates to defend its actions.
The press carries a heavy burden. It is tasked with the gathering and publishing of news, interpreting and commenting on the news, and acting as watchdog in the public’s interest over wide areas of public concern.
We are therefore asking the general public to respect the work we do and demonstrate a sense of camaraderie, because journalists are necessary to a society in which people cannot see or hear most events firsthand.
Also, journalists are essential because the world has become so complex that even when people witness an event they are unaware of what they have experienced, how it fits into the sequence of events that preceded it and how its consequences may be.
Please remember that the task of a journalist is to tell the story in human terms and we personalise as well as dramatise the news by seeking out the persons involved in the event.
