MEDIA LANGUAGE: SERVING THE COMMON GOOD SUMMARY

The common good is the greatest good of everyone, not just of the greater number.
It is the greatest spiritual, moral, human, political, civic and cultural good. It is the
social and community dimension of the moral good, which seeks and practices
what is good and shuns what is evil. Responsibility for the common good does not
rest only with the state, but also with individuals and groups. The common good is
arrived at when the rights and duties of the human person and groups are respected.
The common good is best safeguarded when personal (and group-added) rights and
duties are guaranteed.2 Duty in this context implies the consumers’ obligation to
seek the truth and the media’s obligation to seek and disseminate the truth. Right
means the consumers’ entitlement to be truthfully informed by the media without
fear or external pressure.
Informing masses of people should be the corporate purpose of the media. The
media has the power to achieve this. They also have to use that power in the best
way. Basic human rights make up the moral core of the universal common good;
that means the media have a moral duty to inform truthfully.

1.0 AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION

Nowadays, a tsunami of information is available; it is no longer a flow. The nature

of media outlets is changing; no longer only newsprint, but also online. The way
forward is suggested in a leading article “Who killed the newspaper?”3 It mentions
a book, The Vanishing Newspaper, by Philip Meyer, in which the author calculates
that the first quarter of 2043 will be when newsprint dies in the United States. The
newspaper as we know it will give way to electronic media more and more, but it
will not disappear altogether. The article predicts that the nature of journalism will
change, and sees it branching off in three directions:
(i)
independent journalism backed by well-endowed charities;
Martyn Drakard is a columnist in Kenya and Uganda. He is a retired principal of
Strathmore College and an experienced English teacher and educationist having
lived and taught in many schools in Kenya and Uganda since 1965. He has
travelled widely throughout conflict areas in East and Central Africa studying the
impact of conflict on education and seeking ways of redressing the problem.
The ubiquity and omnipresence of the media make all this information available.
The media can be present at any time in every corner of the world. Technology and
the sometimes aggressive nature of gathering the news mean that the media has the
power to be unduly intrusive.

Modern life, especially in international, regional, and even provincial, centres of

business and culture, is very complex. The more complex the reality, the more the
consumer depends on the media to inform him and help him interpret news and
facts, therefore the greater is the responsibility of the journalist/media provider to
maintain the accuracy and integrity of information, and properly separate the
important (for example, major developments in public policies, constitution and
law; world events) from the unimportant (such as social chit-chat, and the intimate
lives of public figures).

2.0 QUALITY OF INFORMATION

(1) A journalist needs the following: Knowledge of the world (ways of the world,
facts, general culture; the workings of the political, civic, social, educational and
cultural world; the human mind and human behaviour); specialized knowledge of
what he is writing about and “guts” to go places, meet people, stick his neck out in
stating his opinion and the facts he has gathered; in saying “hard things”; love and
respect for his readers/listeners/viewers since media producers are service
providers and service professionals. Journalists do not need contempt, arrogance or
indifference; instead, they should respond to queries, comments, messages of
appreciation, etc. as far as possible.
(2) As society lives from the truth – or should do so – and a properly functioning
society operates based on mutual trust: “I take you at your word.” Truth can only
be disseminated from order and clarity in language. Meaningful human life results
when people live and work from truth and communicate at the level of truth. By
means of language, we communicate ideas – both simple and complex – and
events, facts, and opinions.
Media consumers should be able to recognize reality in what they read or hear, and
not be misled by political correctness in language or better said, political
euphemism (for example, “termination” for abortion). When one uses the word
“abortion” he is accused of taking sides; whereas, if one uses the word
“termination” one is understood as “being fair.” The same applies to the realm of
ideas, for example, that separation of Church and State means that God may not be
mentioned in public, or that any public manifestation of or reference to religion is
unacceptable.
Media and the Common Good: Perspectives on Media, Democracy and
Responsibility
(ii) well-informed citizen journalists; and
(iii) bloggers.

3.0 THE QUALITY OF WRITING

Nowadays many writers fall into the error of writing before thinking, which leads
to mistakes, the excessive use of clichés and unnecessary repetitions. A good writer
should take into consideration the following:
(i) Avoid clichés for example the ‘scourge of AIDS’ or ‘unemployment’.
(ii) Be careful with slogans: Slogans are easy to understand since they cut out
complex thoughts, but they are often inaccurate and unjust, resulting in unfair
generalizations.
(iii) Avoid unfair or exaggerated statements; which people tend to understand as
such but often believe just in case. The rationale is no smoke without fire!
(iv) Shun alarmist or misleading headlines.
(v) Foster a certain sobriety of tone and style. Readers are more convinced and
impressed with sobriety, as they are with a sober, unemotional, balanced person,
even though they may find him less entertaining.
(vi) I refer you to the Code of Conduct for Journalists, which reads: Allegations
(unproved statements) should identify the body or source making the allegations,
or carry quotation marks at least, (and not read as though they are reporting
something already proven). “Allegations” in advertising are generally accepted as
not true and not to be taken at face value; however, allegations in headlines or
serious articles call for greater responsibility.
(vii) Treat all subjects with respect and dignity, with particular compassion for
victims of crime or tragedy. For example the mentally disturbed and emotionally
affected; those in extreme physical pain; images of gore and carnage. Are they to
shock and sell, or to send out a strong message? Report generally with a certain
detachment; avoid language that is too colourful, outrageous or shocking.
(viii) Correctness of grammar: some poetic licence is allowed. In Joseph Pearce’s
biography of GK Chesterton, Wisdom and Innocence, we read (page 66): “His
peculiar brand of poetical prose mixed with journalism formed a volatile cocktail.”
(ix) In one’s writing include turns of phrase, idioms, proverbs, and expressions:
they are the sap of a language, and show the language mastery of the writer.
(x) Correct spelling: It is still possible to find mistakes in the mainstream press,
though they are rare.
(xi) Use analogy (comparison) and other literary forms: metaphor, story, “parable”,
allegory.
(xii) Logical structure of writing is essential.
(xiii) Cultivate flair, and attractiveness to capture and maintain interest.
(xiv) A lively, vibrant style that has impact, and packs punch. All these elements
go to make up a good writing style. Journalists need to be good writers and masters
of the language. Some of the most powerful writers, novelists, poets and historians
were journalists at some point in their careers.
(xv) Quality Newspapers: We are familiar with the best-known ones in the
Anglo-Saxon world. By “quality” I mean writing and style, not necessarily content,
policy or ideology. Even more so the quality of the Francophone press, which
bonds literature and journalism; academe and media; idea and style, and the Italian
press, which uses carefully cultivated language, even the use of the subjunctive.

A quality newspaper may be beautifully written, but have a less-than-beautiful

policy. A short digression will illustrate the point. On 12th October 2007, John
Allen Jr., writing from Rome, gave what he called an interesting perspective on the
reaction to the address of Benedict XVI in Regensburg. He reported some
comments of Fr Bernardo Cervellera, a high-profile member of the Pontifical
Institute for Foreign Missions, who is a regular commentator on church issues
worldwide, including in the Islamic countries, in the Italian press. Fr Cervellera
said: The speech of the pope was manipulated, in large part by forces in the
Western world, including news agencies and massive newspapers. (At this point he
mentioned a leading, highly esteemed daily in the United States). They wanted to
put the pope and Islam in conflict to corrode the possibility of a real dialogue
between religions based on truth. They are afraid of what happened in Cairo in
1994, referring to the UN-sponsored conference on population and development,
when the Holy See and the Islamic nations resisted attempts to create liberal
international standards on abortion and reproductive rights.

(xvi) Lastly, to be avoided in writing: incomprehensible, pedantic and complicated

language and expression. Accountability in journalism is related to language. The
media makes all institutions accountable: Government, the judiciary, the Church,
the armed forces, and the world of business, and often does so with courage, and
sometimes with bias, by the use of a carefully chosen word, term, statement or
quotation. The media too must be held accountable.

Media Language: Serving the Common Good

The next question is: How independent are the media? Below are certain
parameters:
(i) Gather and report news without fear or favour, and vigorously resist undue
influence from any outside forces, including powerful individuals or special
interest groups;
(ii) Resist those who would seek to buy or politically influence news content or
who would seek to intimidate those who gather and disseminate the news;
(iii) Resist any self-interest or peer pressure that might erode journalistic duty and
service to the public;
(iv) Recognize that sponsorship of the news will not be used in any way to
determine, restrict or manipulate content;
(v) Refuse to allow the interests of ownership or management to influence news
judgment and content inappropriately.

These recommendations should be followed. If not, this would mean toning down
the power of the language and hiding the truth. Ask yourself: Does the quality of
the writing and of information given and the use of language make people:
(i) More ethically and spiritually mature, or does it question, criticize, cheapen,
disregard or mock traditional human, spiritual and moral values, directly or
indirectly?
(ii) More aware of their human dignity, including their rights and duties.
(iii) Open to others, especially the weakest and the neediest? Or does it highlight
consumer products, glamorous lifestyles and selfish habits to the exclusion of the
needs and concerns of the weakest and neediest? Our local press is doing good
work here.
The media are capable of achieving all this. Are they doing it? If consumers feel
the media are not giving them what they want, or are not up to standard, for
example not outspoken enough, innovative or accurate enough, they do have a
choice: rely on the “grapevine” for news, or tune in to the BBC.

The culture of information cannot become a meaningless accumulation of “facts”,

which become:
(i) Merely consumer items, to be collected for no purpose, and disposed of; or
(ii) Used as instruments of ‘destruction”, that is, of envy; of denigrating rivals and
perceived enemies (public figures in politics, sport and entertainment); of
propaganda (political, moral or ideological).
The media must help form consciences and shape thinking, with courage and
resolve, and transmit the ultimate meaning of the human person and his existence,

Media and the Common Good: Perspectives on Media, Democracy and

Responsibility by reporting positive stories and events.

The media must also avoid disseminating a monoculture that stifles creative genius
and that despises higher moral or intellectual values – for example, that never
reviews a really serious book – a monoculture of the lowest common denominator,
levelled down to the lowest intellectual capacity.
Good journalism must avoid deflating the subtlety of complex thought, and either
simplifying it out of recognition, despising and ridiculing it, or cheapening it. For
example, the coverage of bio-ethics and “test-tube” babies should give a deep
analysis of the ethical, natural and religious arguments, rather than just report the
opinion of the man in the street. Nor should it set one faith-based group against
another.
Good journalism must also encourage the flourishing of cultures. What do we
know about the non-Anglo-Saxon world and non-Anglophone Africa? There is
good coverage of local cultures, however.
Furthermore, it also needs to respect ethnic differences and religious beliefs. For
example: raising controversies at Christmas and Easter is low-level journalism; or
tendentious reporting of the paedophilia scandal in the United States of America.
News, views or comments on ethnic, religious or sectarian disputes should be
published or broadcast after proper verification of facts and presented with due
caution and restraint in a manner which is conducive to the creation of an
atmosphere congenial to national harmony, amity and peace. For example: the
address of Pope Benedict XVI in Regensburg. “Disputes” are mentioned; what
about religious or sectarian issues?

News reports or commentaries should not be written or broadcast in a manner

likely to inflame the passions, aggravate the tension or accentuate the strained
relations between the communities concerned.

Writers are called upon, then, to use precise language and terminology; to use
words properly in context; to take account of the connotations of words; and to see
that some words and expressions have lost their original meaning, accuracy and
forcefulness through overuse. These are key factors to bear in mind if the proper
formation of consciences and the shaping of thinking is to be achieved.

All these are at risk if the media are self-serving – paid for having an “agenda”;
profit-driven, and not accountable to the common good, because the right of
consumers is to be truthfully informed. The media must take care to report events
accurately (viz. Code Accuracy and Fairness):

(i) The fundamental objective of a journalist is to write a fair, accurate and

unbiased story on matters of public interest. All sides of the story should be
reported. It is important to obtain comments from anyone who is mentioned in an
unfavourable context. Language can imply, suggest, catch people off guard and not
in thinking mode, and lead them to wrong conclusions or to take sides.
(ii) Whenever it is recognized that an inaccurate, misleading or distorted story has
been published or broadcast, it should be corrected promptly. However, when a
misleading story is reported, it is not enough to correct it promptly, but the same
space, extension and prominence as the original misleading story should be given
to the apology.
(iii) The media must give a full explanation of matters of public concern; neither
partial nor biased. The media must give a fair representation of diverse points of
view; but it should give more weight to the view of a serious, well-informed person
than to a fanatic, or someone who bears a grudge or has a prejudice. The media
must present edifying models of life and love (marriage and the family).

The values of fidelity, chastity, sacrifice and motherhood should be promoted.

Because a stable, healthy family is at the basis of a healthy society, in every
culture, and this makes the common good more attainable.
The media must avoid sex discrimination, either way, and the use, of women
especially, as consumer objects.

With regard to Obscenity, Taste and Tone in reporting, the Code is insufficiently
clear and unambiguous, as it tries to combine respect for decency with the need to
keep the consumer informed. Instances in points (i) and (iii):
(i) In general, the media should avoid publishing and broadcasting obscene, vulgar,
or offensive material unless such material contains a news value, which is
necessary in the public interest, and
(ii) The broadcasting of obscene programmes and speech must be avoided. To be
obscene, the material must have all three of the following characteristics:
(a) An average person, applying contemporary community standards, must find
that the material, as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest.
(b) The material must depict or describe, in an offensive way, sexual conduct
specifically defined by applicable law;

© The material, taken as a whole, must lack serious literary, artistic, political or
scientific value.

This discretion on the part of the media is easily open to abuse. They speak of
“measured by contemporary community standards”. Are not the media, in some
cases, lowering the contemporary standards themselves?

Besides, these carefully phrased conditions could appear to justify publishing what
is blatantly offensive. Images and words can have a great impact. Is it not enough
to state just one requirement? Namely, to avoid the unnecessarily explicit and
graphic, and what makes a normal decent person uncomfortable, and what is
unsuitable for a child?

Consumers must be formed in responsible and critical use of the media. In the
selection of programmes; in critical analysis of a programme. The public should
have greater participation in the media, in policy-making, and as a watchdog,
especially when the media runs on public funding. Already readers’ and viewers’
opinions are published and aired. But family and parent groups and other organized
interested groups should be able to apply pressure to control infringements of good
taste and tone. Media regulation is also important where media ownership
converges.
The new vocabulary of media and images shapes popular culture. This raises the
question as to its short and long-term effects on:
(i) Literacy: Will people read less in future; how will grammar, syntax, spelling and
the art of writing be affected?
(ii) Reasoning Capacity: Will people be able to follow an argument and reach
certain conclusions, if exposed to too much poor-quality media?
(iii) Memory: Retention of facts, data, and mathematical skills.
(iv) Motivation: Media offers an escape from reality, especially for the young, and
the unemployed.
(v) Social Interaction: Some media make people more withdrawn, less able to tell
stories and converse, etc.

4.0 CONCLUSION
Media should not manipulate the consumers, especially the young, the
impressionable and the semi-literate, by means of its ideas, choice of images and
text.

The media’s role in the promotion of dialogue - through serious, intelligent

intercourse, people can reach the truth and help one another reach the truth,
through the exchange of learning and the dissemination of truth, especially online,
TV and radio.
The media is an influential and appreciated resource for building the civilization of
peace and harmony, for which all peoples yearn. For example, the Olympics, the
World Cup, the coverage of the death and funeral