The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1915 JOURNALISTIC ETHICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 2 September 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1915 JOURNALISTIC ETHICS.

(With which is incorporated The Taihape Poet 'xua Wnimarlno News.)

A great deal of fuss is being made, particularly in the vicinity of Christ-

church, about provincial newspapers sending representatives to report race meetings who are not bona fide journalists, and newspapers employing such men are accused of abusing their journalistic privileges. But it was ever thus with a certain class of selfish journalism; anything that will harass. the smaller journal and limit h's opposition to the wealthier publications is seized upon and worked for all it is worth. In the first place, we are [not aware that it requires a journalist

to report a race meeting. Such reporting can -be much better performed by an intelligent expert in racing matters. And why should the provincial journal who doesn’t happen to have a racing expert on its staff that is available bg deprived of the right to employ a special? Is it because some of these specials, who are not bona fide journalists, have furnished the provincial journals with far better and more truthful reports than the men kept on the premises of big journals have done? That these same complaining big newspapers fill their editorial columns with the

1 writings of exports who are not bona [fide journalists is well-known to everybody. Then why should the work of non-journalists appear in editorial columns any more than in racing columns In any case, is it not in the best interests of racing clubs to encourage newspapers to send men to report their meetings intelligently and correctly rather than to employ racing numbskulls who arc apt to put a ridiculous aspect on what takes place. The best all-around reporters may undoubtedly be found on provincial newspapers; their training has not been confined to one particular class of work;

from their entry into the office they I have had to report anything and everything, and in most cases they are as capable of doing a race-meeting or an agricultural show as well as a political meeting,' a prize-light, or a church tea-meeting. But there are times In the life of a provincial journal when it has no horse-racing expert on its reporting staff, and we urge that it is far J better for racing that at such times ” ph oidd be allowed, even one outcry

od, by clubs to engage a special expert rattier than send a man who can neither do justice to the club or the patrons of racing who read their reports. For their own sakes, and in consideration of racing-readers, we hope that racing clubs will! not be swayed by either thoughtless or interested opponents of expert racing men being employed to report their gatherings.