Dear Editor, Sir,
Your columnist Grace Virtue penned a refreshingly thought-provoking piece in the Tuesday, September 8, 2015 edition of the Observer, titled 'Is Journalism dead?', covering the recent publicly paid-for health audit of the public health sector that the Minister Fenton Ferguson is shockingly against publishing in full. Interestingly, Dr Ferguson ordered the audit after much public pressure.
She was rightfully critical of the Jamaica Observer's reporting on comments made by Dr Alfred Dawes, president of the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association. That September 6 headline, titled 'Dawes happy with Government's health approach' was sad.
The fact that Dr Ferguson is still minister, despite the mishandling and denials surrounding the painful chikungunya epidemic and the disastrous state of our public health system, is really a mystery.
Virtue, an academic and journalist herself, was also spot on in identifying what seems to be a public relations exercise ostensibly to benefit Minister Ferguson; simply check the number of "positive" press releases published. I recall the harsh attacks on the Opposition's Dr Ken Baugh, Delano Seiveright, civil society, and anyone else then concerned.
I believe Virtue's questions must be answered. Are journalists still encouraged to reduce their biases and try to stand outside of the issues they are reporting on? Do they still believe in reporting without fear or favour and in treating every person as equal? How do newsrooms treat press releases? Do they make the distinction between journalism and public relations? Is there still a difference, and does it matter?
The continued almost daily pouring in of "positive" press releases from the Ministry of Health and its regional health authorities is excruciatingly annoying and completely out of sync with reality, especially when everyone in Jamaica is fully cognisant of thehorrid state of the public health sector.
One of my favourite nieces, waiting too long for surgery, died. She too is a victim.
Angella Wilson
Edgewater, Portmore
St Catherine
angellawilson@outlook.com
Grace Virtue is correct on health reporting bias
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Your columnist Grace Virtue penned a refreshingly thought-provoking piece in the Tuesday, September 8, 2015 edition of the Observer, titled 'Is Journalism dead?', covering the recent publicly paid-for health audit of the public health sector that the Minister Fenton Ferguson is shockingly against publishing in full. Interestingly, Dr Ferguson ordered the audit after much public pressure.
She was rightfully critical of the Jamaica Observer's reporting on comments made by Dr Alfred Dawes, president of the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association. That September 6 headline, titled 'Dawes happy with Government's health approach' was sad.
The fact that Dr Ferguson is still minister, despite the mishandling and denials surrounding the painful chikungunya epidemic and the disastrous state of our public health system, is really a mystery.
Virtue, an academic and journalist herself, was also spot on in identifying what seems to be a public relations exercise ostensibly to benefit Minister Ferguson; simply check the number of "positive" press releases published. I recall the harsh attacks on the Opposition's Dr Ken Baugh, Delano Seiveright, civil society, and anyone else then concerned.
I believe Virtue's questions must be answered. Are journalists still encouraged to reduce their biases and try to stand outside of the issues they are reporting on? Do they still believe in reporting without fear or favour and in treating every person as equal? How do newsrooms treat press releases? Do they make the distinction between journalism and public relations? Is there still a difference, and does it matter?
The continued almost daily pouring in of "positive" press releases from the Ministry of Health and its regional health authorities is excruciatingly annoying and completely out of sync with reality, especially when everyone in Jamaica is fully cognisant of thehorrid state of the public health sector.
One of my favourite nieces, waiting too long for surgery, died. She too is a victim.
Angella Wilson
Edgewater, Portmore
St Catherine
angellawilson@outlook.com
Grace Virtue is correct on health reporting bias
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