Pressing Issues
Don't believe what you read in the papers seems to be today's message.
Here, the
Jakarta Post says, "
As members of the fourth estate of democracy, journalists are the mouthpiece of the voiceless and powerless in exercising checks and balances on the government and other high state institutions and apparatus."
Ulin Ni'am Yusron, Jakarta AJI (Alliance of Independent Journalists) chairman,
said on Thursday that the absence of a standard salary for journalists here has given rise to "envelope journalists," who compromise their profession with a cash "gift" from their sources.
Jon Snow, the UK news presenter, formerly foreign correspondent, interviewed in the
Guardian says, "
We are deluging people with information, but no insight, no human connection. This is anti-communication. Information that doesn't connect with the one pair of eyes and therefore doesn't connect with their own living experience. They are emotionally disconnected, inured. They might as well be watching a feature film."
I tend to read 'opinion' rather than hard news articles, unless it's the football results. Thinking of which, TV7 will be showing the
Arsenal- Charlton match tonight, live. If I can get reasonable reception, I'll be able to believe the result.
Actually, I can probably tell you that right now, given that the Gunners, who originally hailed from Woolwich, Charlton's catchment area, remain unbeaten for 47 games, including a run of 24 victories at home, a UK record. I merely hope that Charlton can be proud of their performance. What I can't tell you is whether Scott Parker, who defected to Chelsea last January for lots of money but
very few games, will, as
the gossip has it, return to Charlton. The fans would welcome back the
prodigal son, but
he'll probably stay.
And that last paragraph proves Jon Snow's point - little information, no insight and very little human connection.
Remember, you read it here first.
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