The media have their teeth bared and are gnashing away at all the environmental concerns, wind farms, fracking, water companies, climate instability (global warming, climate change, polar ice melt, desertification) it must be the ‘Silly Season’ or these issues would not appear. No real news to disturb the masses and the weather is not now so hot let’s make a rumpus about earthquakes in the countryside/shale gas exploration, river pollution/water company fines, the despoliation of the view of the Lake District from Scotland if the wind farm is built in the Solway.
It is good to see these subjects reported in the media though they are if not one-sided reports they are reporting a view and not the situation in reality. As with most media coverage of situations and events that are sent out as press releases they outline a story in a manner to get noticed by the media and secondly they outline the particular viewpoints of the organisation or members of that organisation wish to get across. The media would normally then contact other organisations to corroborate or seek out a balancing view so as to allow for a broad overview of the situation to be understood by their consumers.
This recently has not been the case with some one-sided reportage of MPs’ personal and committee standpoints; rather they have been over simplistic and fundamentalist in viewpoint without the safeguard of qualified or divergent opinion to allow balance. It is not Clean Rivers Trust’s place to support any industry but it is important that there is a balance so as to assure that debates are with knowledge rather than kneejerk reaction to what might be little more than tweets of little substance.
This time of year always leaves the media short of news as it is both the holiday and silly season but with communications as easy as they are today contacting other agencies, specialists or trade bodies to put a balance and depth to the pieces rather than purely reporting opinion.
It is though possible to find people who could comment devoid of anything to say, as the spokesperson is absent or those that are left in the office cannot bring themselves to say anything without permission which is worse than not saying the wrong thing. Being tight lipped can give the impression of hiding the truth whilst a wrong statement at least shows an openness and allows ease of communication at a later date.
The need for balance is vital to allow justice to any issue rather than pu.e emotional reportage.