Kennedy Column

Tina Kennedy Reporter

What one expects from the media

The role of media is to bring the news and information to its public.

This past week a student in Ontario was expelled from Rideau Hall, home of Canada's Governor General Adrienne Clarkson for asking about money the Governor General spent on the visiting Queen of England.

Clarkson then apologized to the student, asked him for tea and acknowledged the student's question was legitimate and necessary.

It's an important lesson.

Many feel the media impose. They go places that isn't any of their business.

In its most basic form the role of media isn't to support community events or social clubs. Its existence is to carry information and events to its community and area. Ideally, that transmission should be unfettered by advertising or opinion. There's a place for opinions, that's why they're called columns or Op Ed pieces. They're very important, but they have a different role.

Some media agencies take a civic role. They head out to events and promotions and give it the coverage they can when they can. That too is important in that community's need to feel that the media represents them-as well as everyone else.

So why is it, agencies that are accountable to the public feel they have a right or job to protect the public from information that's theirs to have?

It's not the role of any agency to determine if the public has a right to information. Their job is to protect private information on individuals, trade secrets or legal issues while they're being processed-but that's the extent.

Over the years those laws became more complex and started to include everything they could-so as to keep prying eyes from it.

Remember the basics here.

It's not the job of any organization, government or otherwise, to willingly hide information because it might compromise how the public sees them.

That's what the word accountability is for.

When any group is accountable for their actions, they not only admit their mistakes, but give it up for public eyes so they know they're both accountable and responsible.

It doesn't matter if it's healthcare, revenues or sports.

The role of media is that of the public. Because not all of the public can attend different events, their job is to gather that information and present it to them.

From there, respective medias compete for new angles and fresh ways to present that news. Everything from opinion polls, graphics, videos, sound clips and photos are incorporated into the presentation.

Sometimes it needs more than that.

Giving an issue colour is very important. Think of the NHL for instance. As a stand alone subject, it's pretty interesting. Sooner or later though, it's same old, same old. Now add a local hockey player, who happens to play in the NHL (when they're not locked out) and you've got some salt to add to the stew.

If that local hockey player had interesting habits that kept him in the limelight, better again. Now you've got the all important pepper and onions . . . what's stew without pepper and onions?

However they deliver it, the role of media is to pose the question, get the answer and bring that information to the public pool. From there, it's the responsibility of the public to learn from that information.