Too Much 9 Day Talk Says Veteran Journalist/Business Woman Lois Grant

Lois Grant

When I worked in the newsroom many many years ago as a young budding and enthusiastic journalist, we had a small desktop cabinet with 3 drawers, one of which was labelled STAND UP. As the acting chief editor ..one of the youngest ever in the history of the then Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation,  I would go through the newscasts each day and check to see what stories were in need of follow-up and further investigations. 

These Standup stories would be assigned to different reporters depending on whether they fell within their BEAT, as each reporter was given different areas to cover. They too were expected to keep their own file  to ensure that a story was  fully signed off on. At our meetings, a reporter would be asked for an update of the stories and this would continue until the final chapter was closed..just like a book..THE END...

This practice of follow-up of ‘Stand ups’ seems to have died with this new generation of journalists. In fact, they don't even seem to know the term, not to mention, even consider this practice. This is despite the advancement in technology where everything is just a click away and the computer actually can give you the reminders. If they did, why are we not hearing more about the many unsolved cases of child abuse, abuse of women, murders and robberies.? Yes, journalists used to work closely with the police, the security forces, the people in business, bankers and lawyers, teachers. They had their contacts or their sources and those connections were based on trust, loyalty and integrity from both sides.. 

There were no under  the table, or under the  counter  deals or, write-offs. Journalists back in the day did not take money from their sources in exchange for giving them exposure on the electronic or print media.

It was the greatest pride of any journalist worth his or her salt to follow through on a story to find the answers to the questions that needed to close off a story. They were objective, fierce and furious in their investigations. Out of these practices emerged  programmes that afforded the time for even further investigations and debates outside of a limited  news time  presentation . These practices gave birth to popular and respected talk shows which  became the avenue for feedback from the public. Our generation cannot forget talk show hosts such as  Mutty Prerkins, John Maxwell, Aggrey Brown, Beverly Manley, Joan Williams and others. .Although there are numerous radio stations, talk shows and hosts, who are the journalists that have taken the batons and are running with them?

Back then journalists could never be bought. It would be the greatest insult to dare to offer payment in order for these journalists to do their investigations. They lived their ordinary average lives. No fancy cars, or big mansions.  

How things have changed. Today we see young journalists with name-brand cars far exceeding their pay package. They live certain lifestyles that others who are struggling can only imagine. Payola has moved from just getting your music aired, to getting your stories told. 

Meanwhile, the 9-day talk continues with issues that mirror the high levels of corruption that has taken hold of our society.

So who is doing the Standups on the unsolved murders, the rapes that have taken place in the various churches by Pastors over the last 5 years like the the 52 year old pastor who raped and impregnated the 12 year, the pastor who raped the 11 year old , incidents of abuse of children, women and members of the LGBT community? 

Then there are the unsolved mysteries of government corruption, the scandals at Petrojam involving a Minister who still holds a government position, the scandal at the Caribbean Maritime Institute, and we are not just pointing fingers at the former Minister of Education, Ruel Reid, or the Permanent secretary Grace McLean,  the scandals  at the labour ministry, Ministry of Transport,  the guns coming into the country which seemingly are not addressed to a receiver

Yes there is the National Integrity action led by Dr Trevor Munroe, but is there an alert media and yes there have been resignations by various government heads. But it's time for heads to roll, as it did back in the day when the Minister of labour JAG Smith, served prison time some 30 years ago. Let heads roll and abandon this soft treatment of a slap on the hand and a resignation while taxpayers continue to bear the brunt of this corruption and scandals. 

No more 9 day talk!

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Editors Note:

Ms Lois Grant- JP, MA, BA.(Hons) Dip Mass Comm, Cert. Broadcast Journalism BBC-London. Lois Grant's involvement in the communications and creative industry began in the newsroom at the now-defunct  Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) . She then went on to head the  Public Relations unit, at the now-defunct Grimax Advertising. From there, Grant went into partnership with the creation of the  Promotions/Production agency.. Innercity  Promotions.  Innercity was responsible for the creation of the live dance hall series of concerts at the Harbour View and New Kingston Drive-in cinemas... the firsts in the history of entertainment in Jamaica. At the start of the '90s Grant formed her own agency under the banner, Corporate Image Communications and Productions. She stood out as a trailblazer in developing several innovative events as well as programmes for corporate brands such as  Tastee Limited,  Jamaica National Building Society, City of Kingston Cooperative Credit Union, and various government agencies. Looking back Grant notes that she has played her role in changing the political landscape of three Caribbean islands, including Jamaica. Her last assignment before taking early retirement, saw her as the Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica from 2007-early 2013.