Editor responds to accusations of biased reporting

Dear Marietta – I sincerely had hoped that Edenvale Bedfordview News is an unbiased community newspaper that publishes correct and factual news reports and furthermore promotes fair , transparent and unbiased reporting. Well it seems I was wrong to assume this. I have to request once again that the Edenvale Bedfordview News corrects the article in question by reporting correctly on the facts as happened at the meeting.

I further request that in your editorial you post an apology to all those affected and that this form of biased reporting will never happen again and in the same editorial it was your desire to promote the agenda of the CPF and thereby created a false impression that all is above board.

The following is a few questions that I would like answered in the newspaper , with answers from the editor of BE News where applicable and answers from Linda McKenzie where applicable.

· Why was there no announcement that there would be recording equipment at the CPF meeting and who brought in the Video recording equipment to the meeting.

· Why was the headline implied that there is a United front in Edenvale when that is devoid of the truth.

· Why did Linda Mckenzie bring politics into the meeting when it was not her mandate to do so.

· When can the residents of Edenvale expect to see an un edited transcript of Linda McKenzie’s Chairlady’s report that was delivered at the meeting.

· Who from the CPF structures informed the MEC that DA councillors arrived with DA name badges and other DA paraphernalia

· Why did the BE News use a photo on the article that was not taken at the meeting in order to show “ Unity “

· When is Linda McKenzie going to finally admit that no DA Councillor contacted Radio 702.

· Can Linda McKenzie please state and provide evidence of the CPF receiving continual attacks from DA councillors.

Further to this , I wish to point out that I never stated that “ a matter can only be investigated if reported “ I requested from Linda McKenzie if this is what she stated on Carte Blanche , she replied in the affirmative. Hence thereafter I pointed out about Roman/Common Law that we practice in South Africa and as such that as Linda McKenzie was aware that a crime had been committed by the Police that it was her duty to report such. I pointed out that Linda had committed a crime and her involvement should be investigated. Col Roberts jumped to the defence and stated that they could not investigate “ Compounding a crime “ as there were no witnesses at which point the Kingsley family stated that they were the witnesses.

As a Law student , I am fully aware of the legal connotations involved and the statement given out by BE News shows that I am not.

As stated I would like see the above published and for the journalist to apologise for her conduct.

Kind Regards

Simon Lapping

(Unedited at the writer’s request)

COMMENT – The NEWS requested comment from Edenvale CPF chairperson, Mrs Linda McKenzie who reserved the right to comment as she requested a meeting with MP Mike Waters and councillors for August 12 to discuss and resolve issues.

EDITOR’S COMMENT – Although we were made aware of your concerns via a social media platform not under our administration, we immediately addressed your concerns regarding the misquote in the online article, Calls for unity in Edenvale, published on August 1.

Excluding your quote didn’t affect the angle of story. We thus excluded your comment and informed you of alternative means to convey your message regarding the meeting, in your own words, and to ensure you are not misquoted again.

If your concern regarding the misquote was communicated via our Facebook page, or to us directly via other means, we would have been able to correct the quote. However, we were not granted the opportunity to open channels of direct communication with you.

You were invited to express your views on the meeting in a Letter to the Editor, which you accepted (as above) and in which you corrected the quote, initially published online in your own words.

The concerns regarding the misquote and photo in the online article were immediately addressed when we became aware of them.

The Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS prides itself on employing a team of journalists who strive to produce unbiased, fair and transparent articles. The Democratic Alliance (DA) vs Edenvale Community Police Forum (ECPF) conflict has dominated our pages in print and online for weeks.

This conflict not only featured on our news pages (including the front page) but was also discussed in my editor’s column and our opinion pages.

It is possible you were not aware of the extensive coverage of this conflict. In an article published by the NEWS earlier this year, you identified yourself as a Klopper Park resident. Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS is not distributed in Klopper Park.

The topical issue currently in Edenvale is the SAPS and how residents feel about it, which includes some residents’ desire for unity in Edenvale.

The call for unity in Edenvale forms part of this story and it provided a developing and new angle to the story. It is also something we, as community journalists, realise is desperately needed in Edenvale, especially as the DA vs CPF conflict has already dominated our content extensively.

Fact is, a resident, Roarke Lessing, called for unity at the meeting and a resident’s opinion is as important, if not more, than a repeat of the DA vs CPF debacle.

I mentioned in my editor’s column a few weeks ago that reporting on this conflict in a dignified manner has also become increasingly difficult. Residents and readers are familiar with this topic and highlighting this again would be a repeat of old content. Furthermore, the decision to not include all allegations made against the DA in the chairperson‘s report was to ensure fair and unbiased reporting.

These allegations were read out and as no evidence to substantiate the allegations were presented at the meeting, we regarded those allegations at the time the report was delivered, as unfounded.

We were not presented with any proof to substantiate the allegations made at the meeting which also provided little, if any, opportunity for the DA to respond to the allegations.

I would imagine, as a law student, you would be aware of the possible consequences when publishing allegations that cannot be backed up with proof or evidence. Or indeed, as is the case here, allegations published without any substantiating evidence provided.

That sir, is fair journalism. Maybe not a popular decision in your opinion, but a fair decision.

We report on matters in a fair and unbiased manner by telling all sides of a story. To accomplish this, we often have to make decisions which are not popular or welcomed by all. However, that is how we remain objective.

You make serious accusations of biased reporting and accused the NEWS of a “desire to promote the agenda of the CPF by creating a false impression that all is above board”.

As pointed out, the DA vs CPF conflict has been covered extensively.

Of course, in a court of law one can demand undeniable proof to substantiate your claim of a “desire to promote the CPF agenda”, especially as this newspaper took the ethical decision to not publish allegations (against the DA) without evidence to substantiate the allegations.

It has become evident, especially in recent weeks, that this newspaper can pride itself on transparent, open, fair and objective reporting by tenacious journalists.

It was the Bedfordview and Edenvale News sir, that provided you and other residents the opportunity and knowledge to start asking more pertinent questions, as ultimately it was the Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS that first reported on Darren Kingsley and the Edenvale SAPS in February last year.

Unlike national media, we have a vested interest in Edenvale and unlike national media, we work with the same community members week after week. We don’t go into Edenvale, report on a story and leave for the next town where there is another story. No, we are passionate about community journalism and we are part of the community. We regard our responsibility to Edenvale far greater and thus we strive to report on matters in such a way to hopefully result in proactive results for the community (as we are part of it) and not just a reactive (outcry) result.

To answer your question regarding the headline – This headline, Calls for unity in Edenvale, was based on fact. The fact is, Edenvale resident Roarke Lessing stood up in the same meeting and called for unity in Edenvale. To answer your question about the initial photo, which was also replaced immediately when realising there was objection to it, was not to “show unity”. The photo was one of two included in the story which was processed via our online workflow system. As Murphy’s Law will have it, the first photo (option one) of Linda McKenzie corrupted when the article was imported to the back-end of our website and was replaced with the previous month’s CPF photo.

I can attempt to further explain this glitch but I am no technical, software or web development expert so to conclude my response to your letter – we sincerely apologise for the misquote which we tried to address to your satisfaction immediately by removing it and granting you the opportunity to express your feelings in your words and also for the photo.