The Tribune

By ROCHELLE R DEAN

Mass communications in The Bahamas has become one of the most lucrative professions. In a world where everything is so desensitised, the country must hold its journalists and media personnel responsible for its woes and successes.

According to the World Economic Forum, in the past ten years the media has become the second most dishonest industry next to politics.

The Bahamas can longer be held hostage to media personnel who seek to mislead, misguide and misinform the Bahamian people because of their personal perspectives, political aspirations, activism and entrepreneurial pursuits. The media must - once again - report facts that will assist in promoting fairness, truth and objective thinking.

This allows our politicians, entrepreneurs, business professionals and the Bahamian people at large to be well informed, productive members of a developing nation on its way to prosperity.

The Bahamian people must demand media personnel employ professionalism in their field and not use information privy to them to advance their own agendas. This promotes unethical work practices and a style of reporting that is not only dubious but also very damaging to the development of the country.

The Bahamas must begin to channel a means to a sustainable future - and it’s the responsibility of the media to aid in removing the “derivative” by simply stating the facts. This will allow transparency, accountability, openness and the opportunity for political leaders, community activists, entrepreneurs and a working class citizenry to promote and derive better socio-economic standards of living for the nation at large.

This also gives researchers access to accurate data, which aids in proper development strategies that impact the country’s National Development Plan.

The Bahamas must encourage expert journalism and not honour induced social climbing and celebrity. The Bahamian people must be led to appreciate concentrated knowledge and fieldwork which will progress the nation. The country can no longer sit back and allow the media to distract its people or deter local and international investors from investing in it.

The Bahamas must expect the media to foster good relationships with the people to allow trust to be established, making it easier for information to be disclosed that can assist in the implementation of effective policies, the legislating and amending of its laws and the economic development of the country.

Poverty alleviation begins with media responsibility.

• Rochelle R Dean is a Bahamian scholar, research fellow and peer-reviewer and a theory writer of economics presently completing a Bachelors of Science dual degree in economics and public administration with Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia. She is an Empower Women Global Champion for Change with UN Women. Comments to dean_rochelle@yahoo.com.