OUR VIEW

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 255, 20 September 1988, Page 6

OUR VIEW

by

Robert

Milne

In his criticism of the standards of journalism of the Bulletin in the article "Rebel ski team at Mt Hutt", Mr Wright has fallen into the trap of attacking the bearer of bad tidings. The facts of the matter are that a group of race academy parents are not happy with the running of that academy and because of that have sent their own team, albeit just two, possibly three people. The Bulletin has given those parents a chance to air their frustrations in a public forum and to balance that we have given the academy a chance to put their side of the story. To say that the story is "blatant sensationalism" is to join the millions of others who use this cliche whcn they see something in print that they would rather have "swept under the carpet" (for want of a better cliche). Mr Wright left something out when he said "we simply have two children who failed to be selected for the ski team..." It is not that simplc: "Parents of some Turoa Ski Academy skiers are unhappv with the selection orocess for the team...", to quote the articlc's opening paragraph.. They do not seem to be conccmed that the ones that did go to Mt Hutt were selected, just that there should have bccn others sent if the parents were willing to pay. The article was an attempt to report the facts behind a conflict, leaving the reader to form their own opinion. Mr Wright writes that the Academy is like a private school, where "certain rules and disciplines are imposed". It is the adherence to those Academy rules that is in question. There is one point on which we concede Mr Wright is right. The story does taint the successful selection of ihe raccrs that did go to Mt Hutt. The Bulletin in no way intended to take away any of the glory from those top ski racers. That tainting is unfortunate, but this "rebel" story is real and had a right to be told. P.S. As for the phrase "frenzy of researching" - thank you Mr Wright. At last someone recognises the time and effort we put into publishing the Bulletin!