Media urged to ‘take its civic duty’ seriously

A call for greater engagement with broadcasters, newspapers and social media platforms has come from the chief director of an organisation promoting religious understanding within the media.

Anna McNamee of the Sandford St Martin Trust told an audience at Salisbury Cathedral that media outlets should take their ‘civic duty’ seriously, and that readers and viewers should take an lively role in holding them to account and in engaging with viewpoints different to our own. 

McNamee, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, explained, “We need to have interaction and become involved. People can react with hostility when someone introduces different facts or opinions. But in our pursuit of the reality, we’d like to get comfortable with this and be confident engaging with individuals who think otherwise from us. 

“Be brave, ask questions, whether out loud or a part of an internal dialogue. Employ critical considering. Be guided by curiosity. Seek out fellow travellers.

“Hold your media providers to account. Responsible media sources will correct errors or mistakes. They can be transparent about their funding, their biases and the way they get their information. They ought to be representative of the people, communities and societies they serve.”

Anna McNamee, giving the primary in a series of Lent lectures at the enduring Wiltshire cathedral, said that folks should insist that media providers take responsibility for the impact on audiences of the data they’re disseminating, if obligatory, informing legislators and regulators. 

She explained, “When it involves the media, despair and denial isn’t a workable strategy. Now isn’t the time to despair, but to act. At the core of democracy is the principle of citizen participation. That’s a gaggle activity, not the monopoly of anybody person, or anybody lone social media influencer.”

The experienced journalist also spoke of the necessary role of media in our society. “Done well, media opens our windows to the world. It expands our horizons – not simply to what’s happening, but to what people think, what they consider, what they are saying and do, how they act. 

“It’s a way for us to speak with one another, and in addition with our leaders, to carry our flesh pressers and representatives accountable. It’s a channel through which we will keep one another informed, discuss and take a look at to search out common ground about what we as a society think is very important, the values we hold.

“Good, serious journalism underpins this by providing us with tools and data that we will use once we are constructing our opinions, our lives, relationships, the communities, the societies we wish and want to flourish and grow.

“In short, if we’re going to have interaction and take part in our democracy, then the media is indispensable.”

Anna McNamee was speaking as polls show that levels of trust within the media are low, and media outlets are under pressure globally from economic and political pressures. 

But, she emphasised, “as complicated, as imperfect and as frustrating as they might be, we’d like newspapers, broadcasters and social media platforms which take their civic roles and responsibilities seriously. We need outlets that may undertake to supply us with trustworthy facts and data, which can nurture our imaginations, our hearts and minds. 

“We should expect our media to respect our fundamental values. Our belief within the dignity of all human beings – that through collaboration, and co-operation, we will make the world a greater place, and that this form of work has innate meaning and value.”

She added, “While the reality may set you free, publishing it costs time, effort, and money. Buy a newspaper, take out a subscription, pay your licence fee.” 

The Sandford St Trust promotes and celebrates excellence in religious broadcasting and makes prestigious awards to one of the best programmes made on faith issues.

Rev Peter Crumpler is a Church of England minister in St Albans, Herts, and a former communications director with the CofE.