Leaning to the right

It may have been used before but I first heard the term “New Journalism” in relation to American writers of the 60s Tom Wolfe, Truman Capote, Hunter S. Thompson and others. As I understand it New Journalists didn’t just report on the story, they became part of the story and, in the case of Hunter S., became the story. Today’s journalists could and should have learnt from that. To do that. We then wouldn’t have had so many recent cases of shoddy reporting. Take the Jesse Ryder affair. When that story broke we were told that Jesse was in a critical condition with a fractured skull, broken ribs and a collapsed lung after having sustained a brutal and prolonged attack where he was beaten mercilessly at the hands and feet of up to four or five men. His subsequent recovery was deemed to nothing short of miraculous. And so it would have been if the first reports had an ounce of accuracy. Instead we learn now that—allegedly—there were just two men, one (king) punch and Jesse’s injuries amounted only to severe concussion. * How could the media have got that wrong? Inexperience? Interviewing their iPads? Haste to get the story out first? Probably the latter. But even so could not “Cricketer Jesse Ryder is in hospital following what is believed to be an assault.” Suffice? With more later when the facts are procured? Another example came last night when radio news bulletins told me that 70 people had died in the Texas fertiliser explosion. This morning I read it was 15. A journalist colleague and I were both canvassed recently about the introduction of a new industry body called The Foundation for New Journalism in New Zealand. The communication was so convoluted that we were and are still unsure of what they are and what they intend. That’s not an auspicious start. That apart, it seems that one of their objectives is to arm young journalists with the skills and the ability to service the new Internet-based media. All very laudable, if late. From my point of view those new journalists, we the public and a certain cricketer from Wellington would be better served if the Foundation concentrated on teaching those new journalists the basics—the basics being get it, and get it right. * This is in no way a criticism of Mr Ryder, who has been as ill served by the media as much—if not more—than the rest of us.