May 3 is World Press Freedom Day. Honesty in journalism, environmental and societal issues without sensationalism are representative of media coverage important to people today. This is what The Epoch Times reporters from India to Tanzania discovered when they asked locals: “What would you like to see more coverage of in the media?”
Laurie Englander, 54, Office Manager
What I would like to see and hear the most from the news today is truth and honesty. I respect hearing the news from a straight journalistic standpoint. It seems that many newspapers today have taken on an ‘opinion,’ a ‘direction,’ a ‘belief,’ or a swaying toward a specific agenda or point of view they may have. I have lost trust in the media for this reason. If I want opinions regarding the news or politics, there are plenty of places to find this. I believe the lines of true journalism and editorialism have been crossed.
Mukesh Mirpuri, 45, Bank Manager
Although the media has been doing a fantastic job at covering most issues, I would still like it to focus more on environmental issues. And target directly on wildlife conservation, innovative methods that we can use on a daily basis to ensure that we’re living the right way for the safety of our planet, and prevent the fast rising rate of global warming.
John Peter Haule, 43, Secondary School Headmaster
I’d like media to be the media of society, to talk about affairs of society, and our work. I’d like them to cover less politics, and more stories from remote areas of our country considering indigenous people. I would also like media to focus more on education of the young generation, for instance broadcasting more educational programs for students, etc.
Antonio de Lourdes Joanilho, 63, Chemist
I would like to hear more about constructive news that benefits humankind. For instance, to know that they have discovered the cancer vaccine!
Maria Lonsdale, 67, Retired
Well, I’d like to see more coverage on the media of world news, not just what Tiger Woods is doing or what Paris Hilton is doing, but tell us the truth of what’s happening in Palestine and Iraq. What’s that ‘Democracy Now’ program I was telling you about, where they tell you the actual truth of what’s actually going on in the world? Because now, we only get about two minutes of world news; the rest is sports and cute animal stories and the weather; and that’s it.
Annette der Linden, 53, Clerical Staff
I’m not missing anything. Actually what I’m not happy with and I know a lot of other people are also annoyed by it, is that you find so much family drama played out in the media. Sometimes, it’s on the front page; even quality newspapers have it. I find it inconsiderate to those troubled families who have their privacy violated while they are already in difficult times. And then they are confronted with their stories in the papers that are hyped up, sometimes distorted, and with complete strangers having an opinion about their life, based on those stories.
Isabel Suárez Saavedra, 75, Retired
In Spain, I would like the media to recover the passion for the betterment and improvement of society or the country. And because of that that they report on things that nowadays are missing, instead of news that sensationalizes to improve the ratings or increase the sales. For example, reporting about the rights that some collectives (like single mothers or in some countries divorced women) do have but are unknown to them, or including more educational programs of every kind like on arts or environmental issues.
Paolo Bischetti, 52, Metal Mechanic Operator
I would like more coverage about sports. I would like media to write more about the conditions of other people, about the life, and problems of the simple people, working people, not about the special class of people. What we find in the newspapers today in Italy is only the faces of the people with power and all the news is directed to their personal interest or government. Nothing written now concerning a child of a worker and that is what I would like to see more of.
Honor Anderson, 81, Retired University Careers Advisor
World news! I don’t like it being too local. Radio is my No. 1. I’d like coverage of what’s really going on. I want to know what’s happening in the everyday lives of other people.
K.N. Ashwini, 25, Student
Being a master’s student in Technology under the Energy System, Engineering Branch, I am keener on reading more news about power plants, the progress in the usage of renewable energy resources, and the variety of new offerings this field has to offer.
Willy Yu, 42, IT Professional
I would like to see more coverage promoting health and personal well-being; that would be good.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “Does your country celebrate Mother’s Day, and if so, when? What is your best memory of celebrating the day?”
