Sunday 2 October 2011

JERSEY MSM - IN THE GUTTER -1


Sir Philip



This is the email I received from Editor Chris Bright and  my reply. I think it speaks for itself. The total lack of any respect shown to the Abuse Survivors is beyond belief.

Rs 

From: Chris Bright  Sent: 23 September 2011 14:41 To: Corinne Wiseman Subject: Message for Rico Sorda

 

Dear Mr Sorda,

It has been brought to my attention that you have come into possession of, and circulated, a private email sent by me to Miss **** ****.

I have no idea, and no wish to spend time ascertaining, why you should have felt entitled to publish my private correspondence, but kindly refrain from  such discourteous behaviour in the future.


Chris Bright,


Editor.




Dear Mr Bright
 
Thank you for your email.
 
I had best start at the beginning.  I was contacted by an abuse survivor who was disgusted by your crass reply to an email they had sent you.  Some very serious concerns were raised by this person regarding the biased reporting in respect of such issues as the historic child abuse enquiry (the "HCAE"), continued vilification of former Senator Stuart Syvret and the non-reporting of the serious issues surrounding the former investigating officer of the HCAE, Mick Gradwell, leaking information during a live investigation.
 
Having read your reply I was left in shock.  You could not have shown more disdain for this person if you had tried.  Your reply lacked compassion and understanding of what the victims of abuse have been through.  Could it be that the tone of your reply can be interpreted in itself as an explanation of the JEPs apparent stance on these issues being as you are its chief editor?  In an island which has only one newspaper, is it not right for the local populus to expect some fair and balanced reporting?  Considering the level of accountability that Rupert Murdoch, heading up a newspaper with a readership of only 40%, has had to face in respect of certain ethical matters, surely an individual heading up a newspaper with 100% market readsership should be prepared to be called to account for statements made in written correspondence to a member of the public.
 
With the forthcoming committee of enquiry into the HCAE, it is imperative that the role of the local mainstream media is considered.  They have done nothing but trash the HCAE and so with it the credibility of the abuse survivors themselves.  I find it hard to understand why the JEP, CTV and BBC Jersey have acted in this way rather than investigating the allegations made and reporting their findings in an impartial fashion.  Who now, other than certain politicians, will feel that they can turn to the media for help and support?  I feel that the JEP is fully aligned with the old feudal power of Jersey.  It does not surprise me that it has thrown its weight behind Sir Philip Bailhache in the forthcoming senatorial elections, but who could forget the Roger Holland affair, the Liberation Day 2008 speech and the Jarvis Dykes fiasco?
 
The JEP can no longer get away with its non-credible reporting as time and technology has caught up with it.
 
Please show the abuse survivors the common respect they deserve.
 
Kind regards
 
 Rico Sorda

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

What have the jep done that is so bad? You're only not happy because they're not publishing what you want them to.

rico sorda said...

The above comment at 19;45 say's it all really. It might help to read all the emails

rs

voiceforchildren said...

Rico.

Your readers should know that this is part two of this disgraceful saga. Part one and the disgusting e-mail from Chris Bright to a victim of Child Abuse is HERE

You are right, when/if the Committee of Enquiry gets under way, the entire local "accredited" media need to come under the microscope. We've blown their tooth fairy stories, no cellar stories, their coconut stories and the rest of it clean out the window with documented facts and evidence.

The time is getting ever closer where the "accredited" media will be getting held to account.

rico sorda said...

http://ricosorda.blogspot.com/2011/10/jar6-and-foi.html

Rob Kent said...

It all hinges around whether you think the original email to Chris Bright was private or public. There is no law covering the public use of private correspondence but it is considered 'courteous' to ask first.

For example, if the writer of the email had included some personal information about herself and Chris Bright had then published that in the JEP, the sender would have a right to be aggrieved on the same grounds.

But if I write to a politician or an editor about a point of principle, policy, of their public actions, there is nothing private about that and there is a public interest in their response.

Let's say I write to the BBC about their coverage of anything - the Iraq War, for example -, I am perfectly within my rights to publish their reply.

Chris Bright was replying (through Corinne Wiseman) as editor of the JEP, not as a private individual. There is therefore nothing discourteous in publishing his reply.

Rob Kent said...

PS The original email was addressed to the public JEP address news@jerseyeveningpost.com, so definitely not a private email to Chris Bright.

Why is Jersey so allergic to transparency?

rico sorda said...

Rob, he just doesn't like getting asked any questions that he and he lousy paper have no answer to.

They have a responsibility towards the safety of all children in care and by that I mean reporting stuff that might go against their feudal bosses. Who now would approach the JEP to ask for help in exposing some great wrong?

The time of sands is catching up with this paper

If only it had been loaded on the landing craft back in 45

rs

Anonymous said...

Chris Bright's original email to the abuse survivor was disgraceful. I enjoyed reading your response to his complaint that you had published it. Could it be that Mr bright is squirming because you publicly exposed him for being the crudely insensitive mouthpiece of a corrupt government?

Anonymous said...

What utter nonsense. When are you going to stop embarrissing yourself in sending such silly e-mails to people? The JEP have no responsibilty to report to you or make up stories to fit your own agenda.

Rob Kent said...

RE "What utter nonsense. When are you going to stop embarrissing yourself in sending such silly e-mails to people?"

I thought that it was the publication of the original email that Chris Bright was complaining about. This blog merely published the correspondence. What's embarrassing about that?

Anonymous said...

What utter nonsense. When are you going to stop embarrissing yourself in sending such silly e-mails to people? The JEP have no responsibilty to report to you or make up stories to fit your own agenda.

Is that for real? North Korea here you come lol

Shep said...

Anonymous said...
What utter nonsense. When are you going to stop embarrissing yourself in sending such silly e-mails to people? The JEP have no responsibilty to report to you or make up stories to fit your own agenda.

Hmm leave your name for credibility, your embarrasing Anonymous. Thx