By Alusine Fullah
Often going unreported, corruption in journalism is a major concern across Africa. Commonly referred to as “brown envelope or hit and collect journalism” journalism–as it typically involves monetary bribes enclosed in brown envelopes –it seeks to influence journalists to produce more positive reporting on an issue or to kill a negative story. The “brown envelope or hit and collect journalism” journalism is well known in Africa or even the world at large.
I don’t know for other countries, but for my country, Sierra Leone, a new form of journalism has shown: “Stand Grounds Journalism.” For some folks they normally attempt to call it PR journalism. But critically and ideally it is not.
Ideally, brown envelopes are not part of journalism. They don’t fit anywhere in the transaction of getting a story published. We have been aware that the brown envelope syndrome has been with us for some time now and this is a result of the poor performing economy of this country. Journalists are not well paid, and working conditions are very poor. As a result they are tempted to accept something that can improve their living standards.
As Sierra Leonean journalists, we have a duty to our audiences to adhere to ethics and be responsible not only in our reporting but in the way we also source for stories,” she said. “Audiences trust us to tell them the truth. As journalists we are in the influence business, and if that trust is broken the media will crumble. To a greater extent, we have a constitutional obligation to hold government accountable. Section 11 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone gives vivid obligation of the mass media and of the press to hold government accountable. It reads: “The press, radio and television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Constitution and highlight the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”
