The Media Association of T&T has been beset by problems in recent times, even though media professionals agree that a strong Matt is vital to support and develop journalists, to promote journalism as a career choice, protect freedom of speech and give a voice to the voiceless. Still, there is a widespread feeling in the industry that Matt has become directionless. Last week, after a series of contradictory statements about the events in the T&T Guardian newsroom of the previous week, the interim executive resigned.
Can Matt survive this crisis? And, crucially, is there the necessary willingness among journalists to pull together to rebuild the association? There is a wide range of opinion about solving the issue. This week, several former presidents of the association told the Guardian that public funding, a permanent home and younger journalists could transform the media body into a force again.
Matt relies on the efforts of senior figures within the journalistic community to ensure its continued existence. Those senior figures feel it is time younger journalists stepped up to contribute time and ideas to reinvigorate an organisation on its knees. Former member of the interim executive and Guardian columnist Ira Mathur said she can see the situation improving.
“You need a little revolution to make things change,” she said. “Matt has served its purpose over the years—in times of crisis it responds. “But recently it’s been sputtering along as a body, we need to be more cohesive. We have relied on elder figures within journalism to keep it alive, it would be good to get younger people in the industry to become members, attend meetings and make a sizable contribution.”
Dale Enoch, head of news at the i95 radio station and former Matt president, agrees. “We need unity and participation. The older heads have kept Matt going for a long time now—but we have lots of media houses, we shouldn’t be relying on older heads. The last interim executive consisted of veterans. If you attended the meetings you would never have thought that we have an expanded, younger media.”
This is not to say Mathur, Enoch and others are criticising young members of the press for their inactivity; they are looking for ways of enticing new members. “The challenge,” says Enoch, “is to get young people to feel Matt is worthy of saving, make it more palatable, really sell the organisation to them, make it worth their while in terms of promoting and enhancing what they do.”
Problems in attracting younger members are firstly to do with time and resources. Committing time to help an organisation for no fee when there are tight deadlines to be met, in an industry operating 365 days of the year, may be seen by some as a chore that returns no benefits to them as individuals and appears ineffective in meeting the needs of industry professionals. Marlan Hopkinson, former president of Matt and assignments editor at TV6, blames some older journalists for actively discouraging younger ones from joining.
“They tell them there are no benefits to being a member, and question what Matt does for them. My position has always been, ‘Ask not what the association can do for you but what you can do for the association.’” Enoch feels Matt has worked to “create avenues for developing journalists through training, seminars and talks from external people.”
The pitfall, he says, is that nobody ever shows up at the meetings. Hopkinson says during his tenure, voice training was given, writing workshops took place and Matt held a workshop with the Elections and Boundaries Commission to discuss guidelines on election reporting. These kind of events have ceased, however, and Clyne and DeSouza feel Matt could arrange field trips, interactive workshops with local communities, open days working with students; things people can get enthusiastic about.
To remember why they work in the media, to remember that they became journalists because it is an interesting, vital and exciting job to do.
Young voices say
Young journalists such as Guardian reporter Kalifa Clyne, feel the organisation must change its approach to encourage participation. “Matt has a tendency to react when the industry is in difficult situations but often they speak out to condemn,’ to ‘monitor,’ to ‘keep an eye on events.’ Those are the statements we frequently hear. What young journalists really need is support, training and development.
“There are crime reporters out working with bullets flying around them. It’s dangerous work. This needs acknowledgment from Matt. They need to be a lobbying organisation and arrange support for journalists.” Janelle DeSouza, a reporter at Newsday, is not a member, because, she says, “I don’t see the point. I don’t find it very effective (as a body). They just release statements, they don’t create policies or work with the government in any way.”
There are communication issues too, Clyne says. “For an organisation whose core remit is to represent a sector responsible for communicating to the masses, the levels of communication are poor.
“Young people use social media every minute of the day. Matt needs to be much more visible on twitter and Facebook. We only really hear from them when they want us to attend meetings, and even then I often only hear about the meetings through friends or colleagues.”
More money
Joanne Briggs, another former president, feels Matt needs proper structure and even a permanent home. “It needs a secretariat, administrative support and a home, so we can say, ‘These are our offices.’ That would definitely attract members to come.” These things cost money and Matt doesn’t have much, other than a scholarship fund. Asked how this might be paid for, Briggs and Enoch suggest fundraisers.
“Fashion shows, luncheons and dinners could generate funding as well as camaraderie,” said Briggs. Kerry Peters, however, feels Matt is important enough to warrant public funding. “It is serving a public function, preserving democratic rights and freedom of speech; it should be given public funding, like (international press freedom organisation) Reporters Without Borders.” Peters stresses the difference between public funding from taxpayers’ money and government funding from political party funds.
Mathur admits that publicising meetings is a problem, and even taking out ads in the press is difficult owing to lack of cash. It is clear membership fees alone won’t generate the cash needed for training and development. Matt needs sponsorship, and cash injections. In the current climate it might be ethically problematic to lobby for public funding, but approaching commercial sponsors ought to be on the agenda for Saturday’s members meeting.
Above all, the feeling is the organisation needs a figurehead to take the bull by the horns in the way previous presidents have done. Industry figures also believe, now more than ever, journalists must work together. As Enoch says: “All of us who work in the media need to show some introspection. “We have to save Matt. If it doesn’t survive it would be a travesty for the profession and an indictment of journalists.”
Matt to meet today
In a statement this week, Matt said following the resignation of interim executive, a meeting is to be held for members and interested media professionals to discuss the way forward for the Association. “This is a critical juncture in the history of Matt,” said the release, “and eligible journalists are encouraged to offer themselves for service to the association, in order that a future executive can comprise the broadest range of talents and perspectives.”
It also asked for as many members as possible to attend to “ensure that decisions can be endorsed by a substantial and representative number of votes.” The meeting takes place today at the National Library, Hart and Abercromby Streets, Port-of-Spain from 10am.