IN THIS AGE OF JOURNALISTIC SPIN-DOCTORS WITH FANCY NAME-CARDS
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka|May 05, 2021
The medium is the message, Canadian Marshal McLuhan wrote in 1964. That was when the medium was not as complicated. You had print, radio and TV. That was about it.
Amantha Perera
IN THIS AGE OF JOURNALISTIC SPIN-DOCTORS WITH FANCY NAME-CARDS

Almost six decades later, the five words are more apt to describe the world we live in. Every waking second, we are bombarded with some kind of new morsel of information of every hue and shade. The truth, a type of truth, a part of a truth, misinformation, disinformation, and fakes. Sometimes some of us, keep getting this when we sleep (anyone wearing a smartwatch connected to a phone!).

The truth is so much more complex nowadays. The business of telling the truth, in turn, is also not so sacrosanct. At least that is how some of us feel.

Just last week I read with bemusement a comment by a media expert describing how there was no ethical, professional, or other paradoxes involved in moving between being journalists and professional spin-doctors.

If anything, for all those who are part of the newshound pack, there is a better business option, if you know how to spin it.

When COVID-19 infections rose dangerously in India, Facebook suddenly informed members that #resignmodi was violating its community standards. As such it was being kept out. For seven hours, it was. Seven hours is a long time in Facebook in India where over 400 million are members

Back to the medium is the message. It most certainly is.

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