That’s the challenge for journalists. But what about the rest of us? We like to criticise the MSM for the loss of investigative journalism and neutral reporting in NZ, and rightly so. But I also think it’s important we don’t lose sight of where mainstream journalists are doing a good, sometimes exceptional, job.
The multi-story Newsroom investigation into the Todd Barclay debacle is one fine example. As well as being impressed by them taking a complex matter and spreading out the various strands for NZ to see, I was also heartened to see good old fashioned investigative journalism on display.
For those that missed it a few weeks ago, here’s RNZ’s Wallace Chapman (Sunday Morning) interviewing Melanie Reid, the main journalist in the breaking news around Todd Barclay. Reid’s a long time investigative journalist for 30 years, and it shows in the quality of her work. The interview is worth a listen to hear how the Barclay story came about, but also to hear what Reid values as a journalist.
I don’t watch a lot of TV news and I don’t subscribe to a newspaper, so my exposure to journalists is haphazard. I’d like to compile a list of NZ journalists who are currently doing journalism in ways that serve the people. These are the people who it will be useful to listen to and to link to during the election. Not because they’re all favoured by the left. I’d probably put Fran O’Sullivan on the list, she’s right wing but she also seems to want to tell the truth.
So the list isn’t just about who we like but who we respect and why. I’ll start with adding John Campbell, because he understands the value of journalism vs schlock, and for the social intelligence which runs through all his interviews. He knows how to listen.
Please share your own preferred journos in the comments below, including what it is about them that means they are worthy (links are good).
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