BIAS IN THE NEWSPAPERS

In this election season it is sometimes best to take a step back and look at what you are being told, by whom you are being told and why you are being told something; that way you will be better placed to make an informed decision as to who you should vote for. Although there are a lot of questions that you should ask yourself before coming to a decision as important as in whose favour you should cast your ballot, the first questions ought to be those just mentioned.

I thought about this when I read the headline on the front page of today's Trinidad Guardian newspaper which in bold red headlines coupled with a large photograph of Prime Minister Rowley being shown a pineapple plant by the Moruga/Tableland Pineapple Farmer's Association $90M GIFT FOR MORUGA , and then in smaller bullet point headlines "-PM opens agro-processing facility", "-Thousands of jobs to be created" and finally "-Says plant will boost food security".

So? What's wrong with this, you might well ask? Well, first of all, the timing of this so-called "gift" is more than a little suspicious. As of yesterday morning the PNM candidate, Winston "Gypsy" Peters was losing the election in Moruga/Tableland. And if this "gift" was not something designed to try and "bribe" voters to vote for the PNM then there is definitely no such thing as trying to bribe voters anywhere.

Next, was it really a "gift"? Was it something that had been needed for the longest while? If so, then why was it not done before? When was this so-called "gift" ordered by the Government? And if it was ordered only recently then why? And if it was so important then why was it not ordered five years ago? Three years ago?  How long did it take to come here?

Where was the erstwhile Minister of Agriculture in all this? Surely this falls within his Ministry? And even if the Prime Minister wanted to have some of the limelight in this election season then why wasn't he there? The newspapers have not reported him as being present. And if he was present then has he become a non-entity? A not important enough person? If so, why is he the Minister?

I could go on, but hopefully you get the point.

So? What exactly was/is the Guardian's agenda if not to try and subtly influence you, the voter, into thinking 'jees, look how Rowley is really doing something great. He really is a good guy and I should vote for him and his party because he is such a generous guy'.

Now, look at the front page of today's Daily Express. There is a large photograph of T&T's Prime Minister receiving a cup of fresh sugar cane juice over a headline $90M SWEETNER accompanied by a bullet point in red which says "-PM opens agro plant in Moruga; says it's a gift for the southland".

Aaahh! There you have it! The Guardian can quite legitimately say that it's use of the word "gift" was simply taken from what the Prime Minister said and that it didn't intend to mislead anybody but was simply reporting what had transpired. Now, if you accept that then I am pleased to offer you a piece of real estate on the moon with wonderful views of earth. I'll sell it to you cheap.

No. Clearly the Guardian is trying as best it can to influence you to vote for the PNM. Again, there is nothing wrong with that EXCEPT that don't you think that if a newspaper has a bias then it should declare that bias so that everybody will know that it's reports are being deliberately slanted in favour of whatever side it prefers? Of course, this does not answer the question as to why the Guardian might want to prefer the PNM over the UNC. Ugly and most unnecessary suspicions arise that are probably better left unexpressed at this time.

But it is important that you should be aware of these subtle and not so subtle machinations. August 10th is not so far away!