Well, for some readers and residents at any rate.
In the past 10 days, the NEWS has been on the receiving end of a number of viciously rude people. People who have troubles and decide to take it out on our staff.
And just like the aforementioned dinosaurs, it would appear manners have become too cumbersome, unable to thrive in this new world of instant answers and solutions.
Unfortunately, life is not like Google – type in a question and get immediate answers or results. In the real world, the one most of us inhabit, results come after some effort is placed into whatever endeavour occupies you.
The most recent call, for which I was the lucky winner, a reader called in about a post in the Editor’s Log. You all know it – the free service we offer to community-related events or organisations.
Before I continue, allow me to elaborate on how this segment in the newspaper works.
It is the sole responsibility of the organisation or group to ensure the details sent to us are correct, since this is a free service.
Sadly, time does not allow for us to phone every number, for every event (or group) for every post.
We have over 150 different groups/events vying for space. If we were to call each and every number to ensure the contact details are correct, we would spend all day doing this and not reporting on the news, news our readers have every right to expect.
To call in and use foul language and demand, no less, that we provide information immediately, is simply rude. Some of our events in the Editor’s Log have been running for over two years and we have not yet received a call about any problems with contact numbers. But, as time marches on, some groups do fall by the wayside, for whatever reason. And in many instances, people forget to inform us about this change. If not for diligent readers notifying us that a group has ceased functioning, we would not know.
Other rude calls include demanding staff to resolve municipal issues, or roads. Hell, we have even received demands about sorting out electricity!
Please remember, dear readers, that we are a newspaper. As such, we report on what is happening, we investigate where possible, but we never go out and make news. We are simply observers, allowing our readers the choice to make an informed decision.
Sometimes our hands are rather literally tied. For instance, we cannot force Eskom to improve its load shedding schedule. We can only publish stories about residents’ complaints and hope Eskom does something.
The same goes for the SAPS. When residents call in and there is no reply, forgetting that the operator may be on another call, the NEWS seems to be the next port of call. Some residents go as far as demanding the personal cellular phone numbers of senior staff in the SAPS. Allow me to put something to bed right here – we do not have these personal contact details of senior personnel in the SAPS, because, like anyone else, we deal with these people in their professional capacity, not their personal capacity. And even if we did have these personal contact details, we would still not share it. Not because we seek to harm or frustrate our community, but because we are protecting our working relationship with said officers. To get more specific, these are our sources for information and we are compelled, by media law, to protect our sources.
Readers, please understand that while we serve the community, we do so within very specific boundaries. Please try to understand this. Should you have a concern, or even a complaint, please feel free to call in. But do try to remain civil.
And please maintain a modicum of manners.
