In a world in which certainties have done so much harm to people, spreading doubts could be a blessing
This month, the job of ombudsman at this newspaper completes 20 years. Few other news organizations in Brazil have decided to establish this position. Around the world, while it is present in dozens of countries, it is still exists only in few places. Because of the financial crisis at newspapers, even in the United States, where more is disseminated, there is a fear that it is an endangered species at risk of extinction.
This week, here and there, articles have been published in important news organizations about the usefulness of the job. At the “Press Observatory” web site, which Alberto Dines, pioneer of the idea in the 1970s which he created and headed at Folha, two intelligent and well-written articles came out by Maurcio Caleiro and Celso Lungaretti questioning the necessity. They believe that this is an ornamental position which accomplishes nothing. In their view, criticism made in this column does not result in changes in the newsroom.
In the United States, the executive editor at the “New York Times,” Bill Keller, in an interview with the “Los Angeles Times,” revealed that internal discussions are going on about the appropriateness of maintaining the “public editor” (as they call their ombudsman) at the end of his current mandate in 2010.
In response, the editor of “American Journalism Review” wrote: “This type of self-criticism (by the ombudsman) sends a powerful message to the public. It says that we are big enough to face our mistakes. And it says that we are conscious that we owe explanations.”
There are those who do not understand the role of the ombudsman. If he does not have the power to impose his thinking on the newsroom and require it to act as he believes is correct, what is his usefulness? It can’t be denied that I experience frustration time and again at seeing my suggestions and rationale ignored. But, as a reader told me, when the newsroom follows the direction proposed here, the value of the change is so big that it must come from being convinced, not coercion.
Even if the newsroom never respects the opinions of the ombudsman, he would still have an important role. Two analogies of the work occurred to me: the Greek myth about Cassandra and the talking cricket character from the children’s literature classic “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi, both very well analyzed in the brilliant book indicated at the foot of this text.
Cassandra received from Apollo the power to predict events with the condition that nobody believe her. The talking cricket expressed the role of critical conscience, the alter ego of the puppet who became a boy. Both aroused doubts. As the ombudsman also should do, as well as journalists and readers. He is not a judge: he complains, as Alberto Dines correctly diagnoses. The judge is the reader, who decides what to do after reading the complaints by the ombudsman. And the journalist too, who decides if he will or will not change direction after reading those thoughts.
Is that too little? I don’t believe so. In a world in which certainties have done so much harm to people, spreading doubts could be a blessing. Besides this, the ombudsman points out, often successfully, concrete and specific cases of factual errors, story suggestions and the right to response, which do not need to be ostentatious. And he contributes to reflection about the role of journalism in society.
Sometimes he finds success in the adoption of technical procedures recommended in the criticism, maybe not consciously realized by readers, who still benefits from them.
His objective should be to try to satisfy specific needs of all readers, not all the needs of specific readers. Many remain dissatisfied. Mainly those who crave changes in editorial positions. That is natural. But do Cassandras, crickets and alter egos have value only when they are helped?
TO READ
“Into the Looking Glass Wood,” by Alberto Manguel, translation by Josely Vianna Baptista, Companhia das Letras Publishing, 2009 (starting at 35.55 reals, or U.S. $19.25)
TO SEE
“Cassandra’s Dream” (starting at 24.90 reals), 2007, and “Mighty Aphrodite” (starting at 12.90 reals), 1995, both by Woody Allen
WHAT FOLHA DID RIGHT…
TAXES FOR MUSIC
The arts and entertainment section did a good job following the proposal in Congress which reduces taxes for CDs and DVDs by Brazilian artists
… AND WHERE IT DID BADLY
CENSORSHIP
The newspaper complains timidly about the unacceptable censorship imposed by the government against “O Estado de So Paulo”
TWO PEOPLE
Accusations against Senator Arthur Virglio receive much less attention and space than the ones which he made
IN FLIGHT DEATH
News reports about the girl who died aboard the flight from Miami to So Paulo do not tell the procedures that companies and passengers should follow to minimize the chance for similar tragedies from occurring
– Translation by John Wright
