Many years ago, I acquainted myself with the works (and therefore the life) of Egon Erwin Kisch. Born in Prague during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, he published in German and had a keen interest in reporting on certain social-related topics. One of his breakthroughs perhaps, was his coverage of the political scandal caused by the Alfred Redl espionage controversies in 1913.
Kisch' life and his active anti-Nazi involvement, I shall not discuss fully, but what is worth to mention was his influence as a journalist to investigative reporting. Somehow, when we see throughout history, journalists have had a role to unveil misty scandals, monitoring justice, and you name it. In 1924 Kisch wrote a book, Der rasende Reporter, which in the end became his alias: The raging reporter. A couple of others colleagues can be mentioned, who have had influence on the course of history. How about Theodor Herzl on the Dreyfuss Affaire, or the joint efforts of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in the Watergate scandal?
Why I refer to them? Currently, I see a disturbing trend, when following news on political events, and maybe even with news in general. In the event where million euros overspending is reported, public reacts with "don't they have anything better to write about? All this negative criticism", the Prime-Minister Fico frequently labeled journalists as "idiots" or "hyenas" and even wrongly creating a picture as if he is the victim of tabloid journalism (in my view, not very professional, even if one doesn't always like the confrontational question, but then:.. it's part of your job) while government spokespersons give unprofessionally inadequate answers at press conferences. It seems clearly here, that the role of the media is (too) poorly understood.
With such a political setting - admittedly, with my West-European upbringing - I expect journalists to be double critical and find out the fullest truth behind every abuse or embezzlement scandal. Last night however, it was even shocking to see a TV-reporter getting a childish response from a spokesperson (being rather her own opinion, which was completely irrelevant to the matter, where a Ministry had acted against legal regulations). Yet, the journalist made no visible attempt to insist on either an adequate and professional answer or getting further to the source. Instead you get a picture, as if two inexperienced high-school actors enact a reporter's scene. As a viewer, you feel being mocked. There you get into a spiral, where there is hardly any respect for each other professional function.
Yes, it is the journalist's duty, to inform public - in fact so is the governments, but if government fails, then the journalist is the last source to get things into the open. And it worries me, that journalism has become almost without true critical approach, commitment and ethics. Exactly this is what Slovakia would urgently need, as a lot of disinformation - unfortunately from the government - gets into the media. Of course there are a few exceptions, of true investigative professionals, where a young reporter literally ear-bashed the PM's spokesman in front of the cameras for treating the reporters in such a disrespectful manner. Especially these serious journalists should also try giving a bit more effort to 'educate' broader public. Such a spirit is perhaps the only hope, where Slovakia might perhaps one day move into the right direction of becoming finally an open society.
A complete opposite is, when switching to e.g. a French or a German TV channel, where on several occasions each week you find discussion programmes on politics or society with not only politicians and political analysts but especially writers, journalists and other public figures. There the role of newspapers and intelligentsia has still a dynamic influence. And mind you, politicians there carefully follow how they appear in the press and tend to listen to the public voices. Utilising a vital symbiosis. One great example: Katarína Ragáčová - the insistent reporter, whom I mentioned before - is currently Slovakia's raging reporter, and public, instead of complaining on journalists' involvement, should realise, how important journalism still is. It is a kind of quality control of your society.
MS
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