JOURNALISTS, NEWSPAPERS AND MEDIA – and my expectations of them

I expect journalists to be objective, but not neutral. I expect news reporting to be factual, and not to spin the facts, but I do not expect balance, e.g. if there are ten facts that day for one side of an argument and five for another, I don’t expect the journalist to trawl for another five facts to achieve ‘balance’.

I expect a sharp distinction to be made between news reporting and commentary. I never expect neutrality, only objectivity. I expect individual journalists to have a viewpoint and an interpretation of events. I accept that entire newspapers and magazines have a viewpoint, a position, and editors that identify with that position, providing they observe good journalistic practice in relation to factual reporting and veracity.

I deeply distrust newspapers and periodicals where the viewpoint is that of the owners, rather than the journalist.

I am not, and never have been a journalist, and I have never worked for a newspaper or magazine in any capacity, nor in media. I believe strongly in a free press and media, especially in print journalism and public service broadcasting.

A necessary clarification to the media

Recent events and contacts have prompted the need for me to again clarify what my objectives are in publishing a regular blog, and to re-state the objectives - and the limitations - of the Moridura blog.

I am not running an online newspaper or a political gossip blog - I do not aspire to be either Newsnet Scotland or Guido Fawkes. (I admire the first but did not share the politics of the second, now ceased in any case.)

I am a private Scottish citizen, expressing my personal views of the Scottish political scene, with a special interest in how the Scottish media presents the news. I am a Scottish National Party member, but I have have no role or function within the party, nor am I in any sense a party insider.

I am happy to engage in public (i.e. online or in newspaper letters columns) debate about my views, and to offer space in my comments section (and on my YouTube video channel, TAofMoridura) on a pre-moderated basis, to comments that are not abusive, libellous or obscene - or highly repetitive or unduly extended.

Media and print journalists are employed by major organisations, and as such have a substantial platforms for their views and factual reports, and are backed by  well-resourced professional support and research functions, and legal advice and support.

My only wish is that they use that power responsibly and fairly and present an objective, factual account of Scottish life and politics at this crucial time.

I will not, under any circumstances, engage in any telephone conversations with any journalists about sensitive matters with legal implications for organisations and individuals, in fact, I will not engage in telephone conversation with journalists on any matter - my long experience in industry taught me that lesson very forcibly

If journalists wish to email me, or write to me, or offer comment on anything I have said, I will be delighted to respond, and I will respect the confidence and limitations of such communications in the terms specified by the originator. I do understand that this is not how print and media journalists operate, especially investigative journalists, but I am both unable and unwilling to accommodate their traditional approach.