theSun | WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 29 2008
speak up!
THERE are many journalists who
can’t resist the calling from the
public relations industry. Some
make the change, perhaps because
of the salary while others cannot
stomach the tough demands of
the journalistic world
while a handful think of
Spinning out of control
themselves as “experts”
after a two-year sojourn
in a newspaper or TV
station.
While PR firms
usually demand high
standards, many
recruits are picked
based on what is
supposed to be their
quality of writing and CitizenNades more subtly, they would
are judged by the
pieces carried below by R. Nadeswaran
their bylines. However,
prospective employers learn later
to their chagrin that what they see
is not always what they get. Only
after seeing the actual work that
they realise that editors’ input in
re-writing, re-angling and most of
the time, embellishing the work
makes many journalists’ work look
good.
However, many have made
it good, in the process changing
their positions from employee
to employer – evolving from the
working class to the capital class
and a handful have found fame
and fortune altering their positions
to middlemen. The majority still
remain as mediocre as they were
in journalism.
Often, editors get calls from
their former colleagues asking for
what they term as “help” – could
we oblige a plug for a client or
their company. The usual answer
has and will always remain: “If
it’s newsworthy, we’ll always
consider.” However, on
occasions (not exactly
rarely), the tone of the
calls are somewhat
different and such
requests are met with a
string of words littered
with expletives.
They want the
publication of a story
withheld or sometimes,
say: “Can you tone
down the story” or “Can
you have a re-look and
re-angle the story.” Some are blunt
and ask the impossible and paint a
picture as if you were committing
a criminal offence. A sample:
“Don’t write nasty things about
her-lah, she’s a nice lady.” Some
even have the audacity to go over
your head, calling the managing
director or directors, whom they
wrongly assume can influence
your writing.
I never write nasty things.
I write the truth and the truth
always hurts. I would be the first to
apologise if I had made a mistake
and have always practised a policy
of a right to reply.
Why talk about public relations
when this writer’s heart and soul
is in journalism? Plenty, because
your money (and mine) is being
utilised by a government agency
to “get Nades to stop writing nasty
things about the minister”. Pay
spin doctors enough money and
they’d promise the sky and the
TELLING IT AS IT IS 17
Acting Editor-in-Chief: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew
General Manager, Advertising and Marketing: Charles Peters
Production Manager: Thomas Kang
Distribution Channels, Senior Manager: Joehari Abdul Jabbar
Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-k)
Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya.
Tel (General): 03-7784 6688
Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production), Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5
Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting) E-mail: newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424
letter
letters@thesundaily.com
moon, but payment is not always Then, each ministry and most
Derailed by
rude staff
THANK YOU, KL Monorail,
based on performance, especially government departments and for running an efficient and
where government departments agencies have public relations prompt service. The trains are
are concerned. Like pyramid people. Are we being told that clean, comfortable and a real
selling (which has been banned), the government has employed convenience. However, the
on paper, you can become a incompetent people, hence the level of service provided by staff
millionaire overnight but show need for “outside help”? at ticketing counters is not as
me one who has amassed wealth If so, why keep such people sterling. I do not know if this is
without sheer hard work? on the payroll, unless they are a recurrent problem, but on Oct
Word has been around that involved in “other activities” 25, I took a train at 5.30pm from
the agency “has been scouting which justify his or her existence? the Bukit Bintang station to KL
around for people who can deal I know of one, a former sports Sentral. The staff manning the
with Nades”. And when I sighted and entertainment promoter, centre ticketing counter was
the first press release (although who has planted himself with the rude. I was not aware of the
not sent to me), I knew that it was government, hoping to use his price, and assumed that it was
an effort to repair the minister’s office to “do more business”. A RM1.20, since several persons
image. But spin doctors can little bird tells me that he’s still at ahead of me were buying tickets
only do the spin to promote an it, hoping to milk more from the of the same price. I presented
individual, but certainly cannot government coffers. RM1.20 and as I was preparing
prevent the publication of articles And just to add. A day after the to go, the staff member said:
if he or she is doing “nasty things” new cabinet was announced, most “Oi! Sentral RM2.10 lah!”
– to steal a phrase from the newspapers received via e-mail, I was angry with the man-
practitioners. So, why is writer studio shots of a minister. It was ner in which she addressed
whining? The answer lies in from a PR agency. My question is: me, and told her exactly how I
the fact that taxpayers’ money, Who appointed the agency? Was felt. Instead of apologising, she
in the guise of promoting the a pitch involved and if so, how insisted that she was in the
agency, is being used to promote was it done within 24 hours? The right. When I told her that the
an individual. The appointment excuse would be: “It was done least she could do was to say
of such spin doctors, at a cost of gratis and with good intentions “excuse me”, she sarcastically
several thousand ringgit a month, ...” but something tells me that it imitated me. I spoke to senior
could be used for any other was a small investment for bigger person who seemed to be in-
essentials and urgent matters, rewards. I have not been proven charge, but instead of telling her
like providing education for poor wrong, yet. employee off, she took her side
children, setting up a rural clinic and said that it was perfectly
and the like. It is a waste of money contrite to call the attention of
trying to build images when things Despite R. Nadeswaran’s continued a customer with “Oi!”
are done wrongly. grumbling of misuse of taxpayers’ Is it too much to expect
Besides, ministers are entitled money, it goes on unabated. He is proper service?
to their own press officers who editor (special and investigative
are paid a decent salary and are reporting at theSun. Reach him at Dissatisfied Customer
responsible for media affairs. citizen-nades@thesundaily.com. via email