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In journalism there is no such thing as a gracious and noble gesture. Many news stories find their origins in the concerns of people who either have an axe to grind, or else feel very strongly about something in particular.
Another smaller percentage chooses to leak a story for no particular reason at all.
Without spin doctors, without leaks, off-diary journalism would be far less vibrant, and there would be less interest among readers. Without stimulating news the world would be a less exciting place to live in.
The other day, I phoned a contact to ask him if he could fill me in on one of his colleagues who had been interrogated by the Gozo police. He retorted by exclaiming that I should be ashamed of myself for following the story.
“Are you only interested in money?” he hit back.
I paused for a second. Civilly, which is very unusual for me, I told him thanks and ciao. I promised myself that for once I would not make a fuss and I would make it a point not to talk to this self-righteous character again.
There is of course not much of a difference between a sensational story and a relevant news story. There is a fine line, and many think that all news is news.
Okay, I am open to suggestions. But what do you do for example, when a gay politician who gives the impression that he is not, takes a stand against homosexuality? What do you do, when a politician takes a holiday with an entrepreneur, who depends on the benevolence of the government of the day to see to the fruition of his investments?
How would readers react to such a story? I think they would accept the principle behind it. Duplicity, conflict of interests and hypocrisy tend to justify the publication of news stories – some feedback from readers would be helpful here (see email below).
But back to the Gozo story. This was a particular story about how the Gozo police acted exceptionally to fry an innocent individual who had simply decided to post a perfectly innocent comment on the web about the Gozo minister.
A similar story occurred when a Labour sympathiser, sent an innocent anonymous email to Michael Falzon of the Malta Labour Party. The email coincided with another, this time “malicious” anonymous letter and the concerned Falzon apparently reported the matter to the police. The police identified the person who sent the email and then proceeded to interrogate the man who was shell-shocked that his email had caused such a stir. The full story is published in today’s sister newspaper ILLUM.
The case, I believe, has now been shelved.
But does every altercation need to go down this route? Is it because we are too touchy or simply obsessed with litigation?
I also phoned up Michael Falzon and asked him about the case. “I neither confirm nor deny”, he said.
One thing is for sure, anonymity causes unnecessary worries and has no place in an open and modern society.
I have to say I am rather confused. Journalists are sometimes accused, as I have been, of sniffing out stories because “it makes good money”. It is obviously a very big exaggeration. Journalists also need to earn a living, but none of the journalists I know and respect do to earn pots of money. They do this job because they love to bring the news to their readers or audiences, and most of the journalists are a dedicated lot working long hours and depriving themselves of many trivial pleasures in life.
Real journalists involve themselves purely in news and do not have part-time jobs in advertising or marketing, or apply for tenders to win lucrative government projects. None of them get involved in commercial ventures which eventually cloud their value judgement.
Having said that, real journalists are far from perfect creatures, and they respect few rules. But they do embrace one cardinal tenet. To never, ever divulge a source.
A source is sacred and every journalist is committed to protect his source, come what may. Yet, occasionally one encounters that extraordinary source who really and truly should be routed and exposed.
This kind of fellow is the guy who first leaks a story about someone to a journalist, and then, in an effort to conceal and dissimulate, concocts a cock and bull story that it was actually the journalist who pestered him into supplying more details about the person.
It happens all the time. But it only a question of time before one really smells a rat.
Jason Micallef, as we all know, is the MLP’s secretary general and Sant’s stalwart aide de camp.
Jason Micallef’s testicles are definitely not one of the things I dream about every Sunday, so apologies if you choke on your coffee after reading what follows. This week, dozens of unsigned letters landed on the desks of journalists of various media houses and those of the MLP’s inner circle.
The origin of these letters can easily be determined, but it would be mostly a speculative job. But then we are not in the business of speculation, as Malta Shipyards chairman John Cassar White suggests.
Cassar White, as MaltaToday’s Wednesday edition revealed, is in Alfred Sant’s inner sanctum of advisors. He offered to resign, citing that he could not continue in his post as speculative stories continue to be printed. Then again, he has not denied MaltaToday’s story.
But on to the anonymous letter, which in so many words suggested that I am in possession of suggestive photographs of Jason Micallef, and that I am using these photos to blackmail him. (Or, in the letter’s more prosy imagery, that I have his cojones in my grasp). It was obviously timed to wreck Micallef’s May Day celebrations.
Since replacing Jimmy Magro, the MLP may not have improved in policy content but it has definitely injected new energy into its image. This is a result of Micallef’s obsession with the media.
The letter went on, suggesting that to keep me happy and stop me from publishing the photographs, he is obliged to leak information to me about the Labour party. It is of course a very colourful story that requires some imagination. But it has more to do with the ongoing friction in the two groups in the Labour party.
Needless to add, I do not have any pictures of Mr Micallef in evocative positions, still less do I hold his family jewels for him. To tell you the truth, if his private activities have no bearing on his political integrity or public office, I couldn’t give a hoot what he gets up to. And from the little I know of Mr Micallef, all I can say is that most of the time he is scared stiff to either appear with me in public or speak to me. This is clearly a whispering campaign that finds its roots in the synergies that exist between certain elements in both political parties. Well, what can I do?
This very week, I told one of his acolytes, Charlon Gouder, to pass on a clear message to Micallef. Gouder had just invited me to a Super One programme to sit down with Lou Bondi to discuss, of all subjects, PBS.
I told him that the only good thing that would come out of this programme would be the audience ratings for Vici Versa. “It will be a programme that goes nowhere. If you want to tell Bondi something, do it yourselves. And please do not invite people only when you can’t find someone to do your dirty work.”
Now, did anyone say I had his testicles in my hands?
The much publicised decision to convert large segments of Valletta into a pedestrian zone should be applauded. There is no beating round the bush we need these green reforms. What I cannot understand is: why does government stop here?
The government chooses to implement draconian reforms to restrict entry into Valletta by excluding cars and introducing rather expensive tariffs, measures that will have an impact on thousands of Maltese.
Yet the government is reluctant to reform the taxi service which directly involves only 199 taxi drivers. If this government wants people to take to Valletta without their private car, they should make taxi service cheap, reliable and accessible.
Before I forget, I phoned a taxi service to see how much the one way 2.5km taxi trip would cost from MaltaToday’s San Gwann office to Gonzi’s busy office in Valletta. Lm5 was the answer. Daylight robbery if you ask me. There you are ‘Sur Gvern’, next step is to take the taxis by their proverbial balls and shake up the system. But please do not expect Jesmond Mugliett to do the job. This ain’t a job for the faint-hearted.
sbalzan@mediatoday.com.mt
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