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The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed indignation at DAP national election publicity bureau chief Hew Kuan Yau for likening journalists to prostitutes, and demanded that he apologise for the derogatory comment.
Although, I understand the NUJ feeling on the matter, I cannot help but have to agree with Hew's statement that they are journalists who will sell their principles and souls for material gains. The above mercenary spin writer is a good example.
Many people will recall that back in the mid-1990s, two identical comments on the performance of a company were published in two English dailies under two different by-lines, i.e. names of different writers. It seemed that both established business editors were "selling" their bylines to the company who had assigned a professional ghost writer to churn out the comment, and paid the business editors for using their names in the comment to enhance its value and newsworthiness.
I believe such practices may still be common. If such cases are not press prostitution, what is?
- http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/i...-press-prostitutes-and-a-cowed-media&Itemid=2
Although, I understand the NUJ feeling on the matter, I cannot help but have to agree with Hew's statement that they are journalists who will sell their principles and souls for material gains. The above mercenary spin writer is a good example.
Many people will recall that back in the mid-1990s, two identical comments on the performance of a company were published in two English dailies under two different by-lines, i.e. names of different writers. It seemed that both established business editors were "selling" their bylines to the company who had assigned a professional ghost writer to churn out the comment, and paid the business editors for using their names in the comment to enhance its value and newsworthiness.
I believe such practices may still be common. If such cases are not press prostitution, what is?
- http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/i...-press-prostitutes-and-a-cowed-media&Itemid=2
