Do ‘talking heads’ add value to newspapers, TV or radio?
Last week, I was invited by Edgar Muvunyi Tabaro to offer my two cents opinion on why “the Opposition” elsewhere in Africa has successfully overcome longstanding authoritarian regimes and taken power, yet in Uganda, it still remains unsuccessful. My not-so-short opinion – perhaps amounting to 10 cents, not two cents – attracted a lot of engagement on social media. Thank you!
I do not wish to repeat those opinions here, though. I only make reference to this because I wish to highlight a genre of journalism that is prevalent, but not too apparent to many media consumers. This genre is referred to as “opinion journalism”.
Well, “opinion journalism is journalism that makes no claim of objectivity. Although distinguished from advocacy journalism in several ways, both forms feature a subjective viewpoint, usually with some social or political purpose. Common examples include newspaper columns, editorials, op-eds, editorial cartoons, and punditry.” – Wikipedia.
Opinion journalism is as old as the mass media and through it, the media fulfils one of its cardinal roles of providing a platform for debate, information and exchange of ideas. To show that opinion journalism and news journalism are different, there was a clear-cut demarcation of the two sections in the newspaper; one labelled “News” and the other “Opinion/Editorial” (Op-ed). That demarcation remains to this date.
In the early years of the press in Europe and later the Americas, it mostly took the form of political ranting largely because the media was owned by political parties and it was used to communicate and mobilise people of the same thinking.
Time, however, showed that this was unsustainable as it limited the scope and breadth of debate and stunted growth of audiences. Today’s opinion journalism presents a multiplicity of shades of perspectives and even though inherently subjective, it attempts to carry a modicum of balance and must tick many boxes of the journalism code – ie must base on facts and use respectful language.
Daily Monitor has at least two columnists and a guest writer every day. Their mug-shot (passport photo) is usually published alongside their articles to personalise the column as well as to create intimacy with the readers. Charles Onyango-Obbo, Alan Tacca and Muniini Mulera are perhaps the most enduring of these opinion writers.
It should be noted though, that opinion journalism is not limited to the newspapers; it cuts across all media platforms. The talk shows you watch on television or listen to on radio are essentially opinion journalism. The nature of broadcast media, to its credit, allows multiple opinions to be shared at the same time and audience engagement in real time through telephone calls or electronic text messages to the studio.
So what value do these “talking heads” printed in newspaper pages or on live television screens add to journalism, anyway? Brianna Zimmerman, writing in the Massachusetts College journal, perhaps says it best in the article, ‘Why opinion journalism matters.’ I quote: “As a reader, I often prefer opinion journalism, especially when I have no discernible opinion on a newsworthy matter. Classic, news-style journalism obligates me to develop my own opinion on matters, but when I lack a strong position or prior knowledge, I often seek opinion pieces to guide my interpretation.
Personal experiences and opinions also give flavour and significance to classic news stories.
While opinion pieces provide me with relevant and factual information, they also provide interpretations that I may have previously been blind to. Whether or not I agree with the writer, I come out of an opinion piece with a new, broadened perspective on a contemporary issue.
Opinion pieces provoke thought in audiences and add context to a newsworthy societal issue. However, traditional news-style journalism often lacks the ability to spark these conversations. I also view opinion journalism as a valuable tool for eliciting change and providing historical record.”
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READERS HAVE YOUR SAY
Samuel Wabilo: The news on NTV is so balanced, but it is not captivating nowadays because of the same news set for years and years we have looked at the same studio set and it’s now not appealing for us to watch, why can’t you people have a new look/revamp?
Public Editor: Thanks for this feedback. This matter has been severally raised and I have shared this concern from our viewers with management. I trust that it shall be addressed soon.
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