Ask yourself how you feel about this scenario: ANALYSIS: MEDIA & the ELECTORAL SYSTEM
by Mary P Brooke, editor ~ WEST SHORE VOICE NEWS
September 21, 2018
As difficult as it may be, at times it is the role of media to bring to light those issues that are felt and whispered about in the community, but which few would like to talk about. This one is particularly difficult because it has to do with the same industry (i.e. media), and in this case, a shared audience (in Sooke).
After discussion and consultation this week with Elections BC, the Chief Election Officer for the area (and various deputies of that role), the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, the Ministry of Education, SD62, other media outlets and other journalists, it remains obvious there is a gap in the awareness of who is responsible to draw the line on transitioning from one side to the other within that social contract in a democracy between journalism and those who hold elected office.
But there is an established protocol on the record and – when exercised – is respected by all concerned (media, elected officials, and the public). And that is: step aside from active news reporting or commentary while seeking elected office. It’s not a law, or even a regulation, but taking that action shows respect for both what one does (if one truly is media) and what one seeks (elected office).
Some known examples – past, recent and now – would include when Christy Clark stepped down from her radio show before running in provincial politics; when now-MLA Jas Johal (Richmond-Queensborough) stepped down from working at Global News ahead of his election bid; and currently with long-time lobbyist and now Victoria mayoralty candidate Mike Geoghegan who has taken a hiatus from his Monday morning spot on CFAX 1070 Radio.
The current discussion of this matter evolved as a Sooke-specific scenario, where one candidate running for trustee in the Milne’s Landing Zone (Sooke-Juan de Fuca voters) of SD62 –Britt Santowski of the online portal Sooke Pocket News – has campaigned without vacating her position as a media member. She is also using her media address for her campaign and has offered free advertising space on her website to her competitors. This was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Education this week.
But this area of concern can be broadly applied across BC and Canada, hence the need to examine this instructively, not with malice. Let’s look at what media is and what it does. And why all this is so important.
Media is a profession that delivers the work of journalism. Reporting the news of the day and the community, and on issues of society, is a more of a higher calling than might be evident in the age of ‘fake news’ and where almost everyone has a Facebook ‘soapbox’. The role and power of ‘critic-by-observation’ is given room by society with the caveat that what society gets in return… information, insights and clarity of the issues… is worth giving the necessary leeway and access to journalists for their actions of investigation and granting authority-by-social-licence to the voice that delivers it.
Democracy is said to depend on this process of journalists operating independently of the social collective for the purpose of reporting back to that collective. Serving as a mirror if you will. Journalism is something of a free-radical process (biological cells have defenses against free radicals, to prevent cell damage or tissue injury). But “don’t shoot the messenger” as Shakespeare put it. It’s good to keep one’s defenses sharp. Journalism helps us pay attention to where the problems are, toward maintaining a healthy society. Sometimes people dislike, resent or even fear the free radical, as it makes one see problems within the system.
In the social democratic context journalism ‘holds power to account’. That sounds lofty, but really it’s just a way of identifying and articulating shifts or actions worth examining. Kind of like your best friend saying (after hearing your concerns): “And did you think about this aspect of the problem?” They may not have the answer but they give you another angle to consider.
When information is delivered accurately and in a fair and timely manner, most angst among public critics just dissolves away. With more information people can have a better understanding, and then suddenly a problem doesn’t seem so bad, and perhaps even seems resolvable in a new or better way.
A small example: This week West Shore Voice News posted a standard traffic advisory (not a full construction report) about roadworks on Jacklin Road in Langford. A local resident fussed on Facebook, saying how stupid to not have left turn lanes at every corner. Well, the roadworks aren’t finished yet, and once we replied with additional intel that indeed there will be left-turn lanes at all four corners of Jacklin and Jenkins, the same critic relaxed and gave a thumbs-up reply. Information (and familiarity) leads to understanding, which can lead to peaceful relations. Journalism contributes to this.
If a journalist is off the mark, a story will pretty fast fall flat. If they’re on to something, it gains momentum. You’ve heard the expression ‘a nose for news’. After a while, a seasoned journalist instinctively senses where there is a story to be ferreted out. Seasoned journalists and editors also know when it’s sometimes unwise to go down a rabbit hole that could lead to unwarranted trouble or even cause harm.
In this case, indeed, this seems like a lot of ‘ink’ about one particular news portal and its operator-turned-candidate. But it’s been a rabbit-hole worth digging into because the reaction almost everywhere has been one of surprise and discomfort, even of being offended. Where there was no reaction that is almost as bad (the deeper ethical issues being disregarded). And then there was the reaction of another media outlet that said they weren’t concerned because “Sooke Pocket News isn’t real media anyhow”, and since the portal is also owned by its editor, that somehow asking a person to ‘not make a living’ wouldn’t be right. Uh, planning ahead would make it possible (ask someone else to run it, or save up a hiatus fund); not stepping aside may reflect a last-minute decision to seek elected office and/or disrepect (even if unintentional) for the role of journalism ethics.
So in the current situation, Elections BC says really their only concern would be if any financial impropriety were taking place. Though they are also fussy about filling out all those forms in a legitimate fashion. People might be surprised that ‘money matters’ are the only concern for Elections BC investigations. But voters deserve to hear about this media ethics scenario, as part of knowing the candidates (including which ones accepted free ads – will that be accounted for in election expense reporting?).
The Ministry of Education in their response to West Shore Voice News on September 21 said: “The School Act sets out the general requirements for eligibility to run for election as school trustee. The School Act does not disqualify members of the media from running for office as school trustee. Elections BC is responsible for campaign financing and advertising rules in local elections.”
But to continue to report on the community in which one is running as a candidate (and offer free ads to appease fellow candidates) has to many – in the past week – smacked of impropriety.
Perhaps the actions seen in this scenario will serve to set the bar higher for anyone else in media who decides to cross the floor and serve their community from the other side.
And so here is the Pop Quiz part … what do you think? Should a member of the media stop reporting on her community while running for elected office in that same community? (Municipality and school board interact with each other, so while separate races, will have impactful composite results.)
Should free ads be offered to appease the other candidates? What does all that say about forethought, planning and respect for the various communities (media, candidates, community)? Claiming to be ‘real news’ (including editorial content) and participating in the community as media cannot all of a sudden be ignored. Being included on official media distribution lists is another benchmark indicator of media status.
Media or candidate, but not both, seems to be the respectful and respectable way to proceed.
::: As published on page 2 in the September 21, 2018 print/PDF edition of West Shore Voice News
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