Billy Wade, a long-ago quarterback for the Chicago Bears, confronted me on a crowded street many years ago and shouted that I had ruined his career, virtually sinking his hopes of getting into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
What brought on this finger-jamming-into-my-chest rant? I had merely quoted him (accurately) in a feature story on his belief that an oft-injured player was not Hall of Fame material. Wade had more than his share of injuries that kept him on the sidelines.
Wade is now in his 80s, and still hasn’t been enshrined into the hall, but I somehow doubt that my story, appearing in a few newspapers decades ago, held him back. I also doubt he even thinks about it these days. I didn’t lose any sleep over the incident.
However, the point of the story is that reporters often don’t realize the effect a single line, story or series of stories can have on individuals or groups of people. The same goes for opinion pieces and aggressive investigation stories.
We rarely see ourselves as others see us, and the same is true for newspapers and their electronic equivalents. Brian Bonner, this newspaper’s senior editor, put it this way: “Journalists often don’t realize the power they have.”
Over the past couple of weeks, I have held a series of meetings with leading business people as the new chief executive officer of the Kyiv Post. I have asked them how they see the direction of the newspaper. It is a process I will continue.
The publisher of the Kyiv Post has given more freedom to his editors and journalists than is generally practiced on publications, including ones I am familiar with such as The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal.
While the reaction wasn’t shocking, it was edifying in that a singular thread ran through the comments. Most felt the newspaper dwelled on the negative and was overly critical of President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration.
The key phrases were that the Kyiv Post “lacks balance” and is “over the top.” More specifically, one CEO said the publisher, Mohammad Zahoor, obviously was a major backer of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Another said the publication was run by Ukrainian diaspora kids out to prove themselves. [Editor’s Note: only one of the six Kyiv Post editors is from the Ukrainian diaspora. Three are Ukrainian. One is British without Ukrainian roots.
Another is a non-diaspora American.] It was hinted that the newspaper would never turn a profit because advertisers simply don’t want to be associated with something that riles the current administration.
My survey was in no way scientific and notes were not taken because I felt it would infringe on the collegiality of the sessions. However, I have a certain insider’s view because I have lived in both the business and the press neighborhoods.
For example, it surprised the CEO when I told him I have known Zahoor many years and have never known him to be involved with any political faction.
More important, Zahoor has never expressed such a partisanship to Bonner, the editor.
Perception is important. It goes to the root of a newspaper’s reason for existence. If it is believed by significant numbers of readers to be slanted, partisan, negative or otherwise imbalanced, it impacts the basic honesty of the newspaper. In such cases, the newspaper needs to explain itself better. This is one purpose of this column — to be an arbiter of contrary opinions.
In fact, Bonner reminded me that the Kyiv Post endorsed Sergiy Tigipko in the first round of presidential balloting, but did support Tymoshenko in the second.
He said the newspaper roots out corruption because it is there – not because it is linked to Yanukovych.
Bonner said the administration is a focal point because it is in power, and that the newspaper had been critical of Tymoshenko when she was prime minister.
Is the Kyiv Post too negative? Can a newspaper be too negative? How does one go about judging negativity? Is a story that reveals corruption considered negative, or is it positive? It depends, of course, on the point of view.
Perception is important. It goes to the root of a newspaper’s reason for existence. If it is believed by significant numbers of readers to be slanted, partisan, negative or otherwise imbalanced, it impacts the basic honesty of the newspaper.
In such cases, the newspaper needs to explain itself better. This is one purpose of this column — to be an arbiter of contrary opinions. We welcome debate and feedback.
This puts a necessary burden on the editors and writers. It is not enough to say we don’t take press junkets, show sources stories ahead of time or take money to place a story. These are fine attributes, but not as relevant as simply getting it right – every time.
We must make sure facts are doubly checked and that the other side of the story is fairly portrayed. We must guard against any feeling that we favor one side over another – even if individually we have personal favorites.
The publisher of the Kyiv Post has given more freedom to his editors and journalists than is generally practiced on publications, including ones I am familiar with such as The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal.
This freedom cannot be borne lightly. It carries with it a heavy overcoat of responsibility. It is here we cannot let him or our community down.
Michael Willard was appointed CEO of the Kyiv Post on July 18. The veteran marketing, public relations and advertising executive will also remain chairman of The Willard Group, a Kyiv-based public relations and marketing firm also with offices in Moscow and Istanbul. He can be contacted at [email protected].
