Posted By: Rhyan E. On: 3/14/2010

Title: Improving public and civic life through reporting and information

I am of the view that the media is charged with improving public and civic life through its accurate, impartial and objective reporting which informs the people of the facts, making an analysis and invites them to take a position.
It is through the involvement and mobilisation of the public that we will ultimately improve our own society and livelihoods.

Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 3/13/2010

Title: Tourism

Beyond that, we are a tourist nation, which means, our 'product' is us, our culture, our hospitality and our people. That means every single Bahamian should be trying to empower those around them and correct them when they go astray - to make a better Bahamas. The role of the media is to keep us thoroughly informed of the truth of things - not any one's particular version, so that we can make good decisions and empower ourselves. The Tribune's campaign of highlighting crime has led to a public outrage at the crime rate - that is a great thing and to be valued highly. That is the fourth estate doing its job. Cynical people will say they are selling newspapers - I beg to differ. We have one of the highest murder rates, per capita, in the world. If you don't think that is worth KNOWING about so that we can do our utmost to correct, then you believe in Santa Claus, Fairy Tales and that sticking your head in the sand will make things better - that is bogus.

Posted By: Dwayne On: 3/12/2010

Title: Civic responsibility

Every person, company and organization should, in theory, have a civic responsibility to improve the world around them. That is the ideal, but not always the reality.

Posted By: EDWARD On: 3/11/2010

Title: WATCH DOG

hi; I believe it is the duty of the media to be the watch dog of the nation.I believe the media is privy to much more information than most institutions, so therefore it is in a position to help shape our community.The media must expose corruption, criminality and moral degradation where ever it exist.The media should not promote filth and call it diversity.The media has an awesome responsibility to the nation it serves and not to special interest groups.Investigative reporters are lacking in our society. THE MEDIA IS THE FOURTH PILLAR (ESTATE) ON WHICH OUR COUNTRY REST.

Posted By: Common Man On: 3/11/2010

Title: WHY ?

Question: Do you believe it is the duty of the media in the Bahamas to promote and improve public or civic life - or is it only to report and inform? WHY ? Haven't the Church Pastors (except for one) of some 3,000 Churches whose salaries are paid by the people, or, our countless politicians (except for a few) whose salaries are paid by the people already doing so ?

Posted By: fish bone in my troat On: 3/10/2010

Title: fishman

fishman never call he own fish stink.

Posted By: Mainstreet On: 3/10/2010

Title: INVESTIGATIVE reporting also needed !

............who says anything only about duty ONLY of promoting, improving, reporting and informing ? What we need more of in this 7 X 21 mile island is the INVESTIGATIVE and 'dirt digging' so that the TRUTH can be uncovered ! What we need like some of those reporters in the Tribune with 'intestinal fortitude' and editors with 'B_ _ _ _ like the TRIBUNE and to reveal more corruption in govt, Crown land land grubbing , enviromental raping of wetlands, outdoor latrines and outhouses 'pooping' in the pump water supply, players behind the Hotel deals which affect our Tourism, nepotism, cronyism scandals that are somehow ? 'hidden' in this lil' small 7 X 21 island. We the public are still trying to have the names of the 'white collar' alleged criminals named because the small 'petty' ones are always named. The INVESTIGATIVE reporters, editors/MEDIA are the ONLY ones (and a few politicians) are the only ones who seem to try to get this country on a straight and foward course !

Posted By: fish bone in my troat On: 3/10/2010

Title: tink man tink

is crime the only thing high in this country

Posted By: Ken On: 3/9/2010

Title: A serious responsibility

The media's very existance is validated by the extent to which its work brings palpable value to the society at large. There are increasingly many sources of news of all kinds. We can get stories from work, the bar, the street corner and so on. The media must provide a different productthan these ad hoc sources. It must provide objectivity and analysis. It cannotbe enough that they simply serve as a mouthpiece for the rich and powerful or whomever is willing to pay. We have politicians to serve that role.

Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 3/9/2010

Title: Message vs Messenger

People seem confused. The message is not the messenger. If the message is that crime is high in this country, then that is the message. The messenger is not to blame. The Tribune is a mirror of the Bahamas. If you don't like what you see, then get involved in your communities to change it. Screaming at the Tribune won't stop the fact that people are getting killed. The Tribune, in my opinion, is one of the few institutions in this country that actually works and does a lot of great work for the betterment of the Bahamas. By letting us know that our s%^& stinks, perhaps we can stop pretending that it doesn't and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, rather than collectively sticking our heads in the sand while our beautiful Paradise is ruined by thugs and ignoramuses galore!

Posted By: fisherman On: 3/9/2010

Title: of course why the stupid question?

of course. knowledge is power. if you report and inform, it will improve the knowledge of people and provoke discussions with those around us. but we all know you shouldn't believe everything you read, and readers should always allow the news to provoke thought not to shape it.

Posted By: Chickcharney On: 3/9/2010

Title: Role of Media

Generally I agree with Lex and think media of late has contributed very little to the development of the Bahamas and has is engaged in a race to the bottom - Following behind the likes of the Punch and Black Belt - The headlines have gotten 'sexier' and the content weaker - Even this paper has moved to sensationalize issues that can be reported as simple fact - I still see 'insight' as relevant and great work - the new guy does demonstrate research but clearly does not have the depth or sense of history as did Marquis. I know the competition is fierce but encourage you to hold the high ground, provide support for investigative journalism, and remember news in context (historical and otherwise) can positively shape our collective identity

Posted By: fish bone in my troat On: 3/8/2010

Title: hawk and spit

what you'll talkin bout? You don't call puttin the microphone and camera in the face of the next of kin while the dead one lays under bloody sheets 'good reportin' ..especially when they ask the person how dey feel bout they family getting killed? what you mean how I feel? How I suppose ta feel? I find those deep and amazing' in your face 'probes to be extremely thought provoking? Some real evil thoughts does be provoke in mind fa true. Every Sunday morning they only report on the radio who was killed the night before. If there was no crime in the Bahamas I wonder what they would report on? Profit and journalism don't make good cousins. So don't fool nobody bout wanting to improve civic life...they want to shock you so you could buy the paper and stay tuned...crime, scandal and profit rules

Posted By: amy On: 3/8/2010

Title: Well

I could not have said it better myself. Thanks Lex. We await reporting - true reporting, especially getting comments/statements from all entities around serious issues. No comment with an attempt to get one is reporting.

Posted By: Lex (yes that's my real name) On: 3/8/2010

Title: The Bahamian media, journalists or reporters?

I take the opportunity to query whether the persons who work for the media, both print and radio/television are journalists or just persons writing for a newspaper or working for a private radio/television station. In my view, just because a person is working for a newspaper or reporting the news does not mean that they are a journalist, and in the Bahamian context that word has been completely abused. Having noted the lack of research, the lack of critical thinking and the lack of curiosity which separates the true journalist from the "reporters" in too many articles and news reports I think that the persons who work for the media entities in this country are generally only "reporters", reporting or should I say parroting what they have been told. Of course, except in the narrow scope of libelous statements, they take no responsibility one way or the other as to whether what they "report" is accurate or historically correct. They just spout out the same crap that they find in their archives, with the expectation that the information in those archives "has" to be correct. In this regard they do a great disservice to this community. I am also troubled when I see and hear "reports" concerning some statement made by the U.S. State Department. Some newspapers and news entities just repeat these reports verbatim sometimes without seeking a "response" from the relevant Bahamian agency, apparently with an expectation that what that U.S. report said "must" be right. Logic would say that perhaps the "journalist" who is writing the report would take the opportunity to do their own research outside of seeking the comments of the relevant Bahamian agency. However, time and time again I have been disappointed in the lack of curiosity demonstrated. Of course, maybe I'm expecting too much of the "reporter" in a society where supposedly nobody reads.