Opinion | Arrest of RTHK journalist, criticism of judges: shooting the messenger doesn’t make the bad news go away
- Rather than blame a reporter for exposing poor policing or hit out at judges for exposing shoddy prosecution work, perhaps critics should turn their attention to the real problems
The relationship between the government’s broadcasting operation – RTHK – and the rest of the administration has always had its awkward moments.
I remember, many years ago, a senior policy secretary (equivalent to a minister today) coming into the office one morning with steam coming out of his ears. He had just heard on the radio that the air pollution index for that day was very high. He wanted to know why the station had given such prominence to bad news. In his view, it should report either good news or keep quiet.
I had to gently explain to him that the pollution standards were set scientifically by another department, and that RTHK reporting them was a public service to assist those with health issues. Both organisations had acted professionally and responsibly. When he had calmed down, we both turned our attention to the real problem: the high levels of air pollution.
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There is no doubt which way some of our legislators feel in the current climate. In their view, the station has become far too critical in the news it reports and in the stance of its journalists, and in effect is now part of the opposition.