Editors are gatekeepers. They are there to ensure that what is disseminated is the truth and that it is done in good faith in the public interest.
A reporter must not put words in the mouth of those whose words are amplified, bearing in mind that a media house is an amplifier of the voices of the people. One should not turn the words of a person into something that the person did not intend to communicate.
The Gambia Press Union should therefore begin to take note of the apologies given by newspapers and then weigh them against the code of conduct established for fair reporting. They should then engage the various media houses on a periodic basis to share their assessment.
The Gambia can only be a new Gambia if all institutions weed out old habits and values that make some contemptuous of truth. An open mind is necessary in order to be a good reporter. One must not harbour any prejudices to amplify the truth in good faith to protect liberty, dignity and general welfare. This is the ethos of a progressive media establishment.
