Last weekend was a hectic one for both reporters and the editor.
Some readers have been questioning the choice of the front page picture, and by extension the accompanying lead story and two pictures on page three.
The two pictures on page three were the one of Hoërskool Warmbad hurdles athlete Pule Sebolao, and also the twosome of headmaster Paul Liddle and team captain KT Sono.
The picture in question was a spread of an image of learners — black and white — cheering on their schools’ athletes, against the backdrop of a tongue-in-cheek banner declaring “Nylectric
Avenue”.
The learners were all clearly from Hoërskool Nylstroom.
The “Nylectric Avenue” was obviously borrowed from the track “Electric Avenue”, from the album “Killer on the rampage”, by US artist Eddy Grant.
In response, two readers dispatched emails to the editor, noting their protest against the choice of the front page.
Maanare Komana commented to the effect that The BEAT was “taking us back” whereby media sports coverage was biased in favour of one race over the other.
The writer went further to suggest that The BEAT was not publishing events taking place at schools in the townships.
The second email came from Leshertmjuku who was scathing indeed, charging that The BEAT editor was sponsored by a well-known Waterberg businessman “to push white interests”.
Mphonyana sent in an SMS to the editor daring in the Sepedi language that The BEAT had failed to publish events at “our children’s schools”, closing the comment with what borders on an
expletive.
Reporter Mzamane Ringane said a Modimolle athletics official — who chose to remain anonymous — argued that there were better stories in the body of the newspaper, which could have made the
front page.
The official also said there were too many The BEAT front pages about Bela-Bela, comparable to other towns in the Waterberg.
TK Mashaba received an SMS from an unidentified reader who wrote something to the effect that the editor had “captured The BEAT in Afrikaans”, whatever this means.
Lizzy Bapela did not escape the concern of the readers, either.
She said a couple of ladies said they did not understand the context of the front page, with specific reference to the phrase “Nylectric”.
Having considered all these comments, The BEAT editor chooses not to respond as yet, and instead wants to hear what other readers think?
Write to the Editor at johnnymasilela@yahoo.com or PO Box 16 Bela-Bela 0480.
— The BEAT
