Sports journalists are just a scapegoat

Last Saturday, Albert Rudatsimburwa, the Rayon Sports chairman and proprietor of Contact FM radio station wrote an article in The New Times expressing his frustration with the way sports in Rwanda is covered or reported. In his commentary piece on page 8, Rudatsimburwa went a considerable distance castigating the way local sports journalists are doing their bit and how some, to use his words, are “nearsighted and narrow-minded” in addition to “lacking education and/exposure”. Though I agree with most of what he said, because it’s something that some of us have talked about for years, I, on the other hand find it ironical that, as a media person himself, he ought to know better why the situation on the ground is as it is, so instead of talking about problems, he should come up with solutions. That way, he will have helped not only his young brothers and sisters in the media business to improve but most importantly the nation that he says has no good explanation for not delivering. Are we living in the same Rwanda? If indeed Rudatsimburwa sees no good explanation why Rwanda is not delivering as a nation in sporting terms, and he thinks things are the way they are because of nearsighted, narrow-minded and uneducated journalists, then that to me is a very big problem. As a proprietor of the leading private radio station in the country of which the sports programs are some of the most popular to the listeners, what has Mr. Rudatsimburwa done to make sure his employees (on the sports desk) are as professional as he accuses others on rival radio stations and the press for being unprofessional? Or again, as chairman of the country’s most popular football club, but which is embroiled in endless in-house squabbles, is it wise for him to make scathing attacks on the same people, who are supposed to promote his interests? Somewhere in his article, after he is done with the “nearsighted, narrow-minded and uneducated” journalists, he inevitably softens the tone when he reached The New Times (Times Sport), which he said has “behaved well” in keeping “us” informed in a fairly professional way! To that, I say, thank you Albert. But not thanks when it comes to attacks on fellow journalists, who despite the hardships involved in getting information from sources in this country, have tried to do their best in difficult situations. Rwanda, like so many parts of the world, especially the developing world, it is quite easy for a journalist (sports or not) to get information when things are all good but try it when circumstances don’t favour the sources, it is always like hitting a dead end. So, much as some of the local sports journalist are not as well educated as Mr. Rudatsimburwa would like them to be, they try to do the best they can under the circumstances, just like any other field in this country where lack of capacity seems to be the common attribute. Rudatsimburwa, on top of being a responsible citizen, he is a media entrepreneur and chairman/owner of Rwanda’s most supported football club, an experienced journalist, who I think, instead of insulting the integrity of fellow journalist because they said ‘not so favorable’ things about one of his employee at Rayon Sports, should know better how to handle such situations. Like anyone in his position and equal capacity, you expect him to come up with remedies on how local journalists, regardless of their field of specialization can improve and become better rather than criticizing them openly as if he’s not part of them! It is true Rwandan sport is not developing at the same rate as the economy, ICT or even women emancipation and the problem for this not the “nearsighted, narrow-minded and uneducated” journalist (electronic and press). The problem lies somewhere else, and until well placed people like Rudatsimburwa and others put their heads together and find a solution, these blame games will continue and the poor journalists, who are more often than not caught in the middle, will keep being the scapegoats. nku78@yahoo.com