OpinionWhite noise surrounds Legco election debates

Never has the need for a quality news media been so apparent. A total of 271 people - 74 lists of candidates - are vying for 54 contested seats for the next Legislative Council term.

It goes without saying that the next legislature is important for the city's democratic future. The government, of course, will bear responsibility for initiating the constitutional reform process and getting legislators as well as Beijing to approve its plans. The news media is just as important.

Unfortunately, what we have seen so far, at least in the non-print media, should worry us.

This city's traditional broadsheets have done all they could. Some have kept their standards high with balanced, fair and informative reporting. But other media outlets - which have the advantage of letting their audience see or hear these candidates in person - have failed us miserably.

The media must be free and rigorous. But when this year's candidate debates turn into shouting matches, we don't end up with a more informed citizenry. With candidates shouting over one another, its hard to even know what is being said, let alone what their views really are.

Election debates are considered a useful part of the electoral process. They allow undecided voters to hear for themselves what candidates have to offer so they can make an informed decision.