I do not regret writing hoax article on HuffPost if it highlights journalism issues
This shows that editorial practices are often sacrificed in the relentless search for clicks and I hope it leads to better journalism and fact checking
In March 2017, I set out to show flaws in the media’s operations, processes and biases. At the outset, let me say that while media bias is undesirable, it is also unavoidable. Almost all media are biased. In a free and open society and robust democracy that is not entirely inappropriate. But a lack of editorial discernment, lack of judgement, information fabrication and passing off opinion as truth and fact as fiction, are. While an open bias is acceptable, it is frequently the case that many media outlets and editors are, in fact, either not transparent about their biases or don’t have a clear one and conveniently invoke one when necessary, or to use it as an excuse to justify a view, rather than clearly explain and elaborate on a point of view. This is a signal weakness in our media, and leads to inconsistency and flip-flopping, which facilitates narratives that conveniently suit certain, often nefarious ends. Debates about state capture, radical economic transformation and race —...
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