Editor,This is in response to James Munyaneza’s opinion titled “Fellow journalists, don’t drop the trade union idea”, of The NewTimes dated February 13.This was a sobering opinion and the author offers one of the viable solutions to the wanting professional standards in the local media.I hope journalists and their stakeholders heed the call. Who doesn’t know that because of lack of a monthly salary, indiscriminate firing and demotions, constitute the biggest reason why many journalists get involved in shameful acts such as soliciting what my friends in Fourth Estate call ‘Giti’ or brown envelop? Because of welfare-related woes, many journalists tend to blackmail their sources and extort money; these are ills that have been going on repeatedly undeterred. I imagine even those who may have wished to check such shameful excesses are discouraged by the fact that most journalists are in dire straits hence such temptations. Which is why I think creating a strong platform in the form of a union, journalists will be in a position to articulate and promote their own interests. Once the journalists’ welfare has been addressed, I am optimistic that it would be much easier to raise professional standards. Until then, we should acknowledge that a hungry journalist is a fertile breeding ground for unprofessional practices. I hope the local media take heed. John Mugisha, Kicukiro
