I teach a class in a Journalism Course at the Tonga Higher Institute of Education.
The class is on Values & Ethics, as applied to Journalism. I have been a journalist
for 34 years; having worked as owner and editor of a newspaper; and for 2 years
produced TV programs; then later owned and operated an FM radio station.
Having sold the newspaper and radio since 2019, I am now in semi-retirement
but still involved in online journalism, not counting my involvement in producing
news from Tonga for outlets locally and overseas.
A good portion of my adult life has been taken up with journalism and the
communications industry.
Journalism or effective communication cannot be practiced effectively without
the employment of fundamental life values; values that are timeless, global, and
absolute in themselves.
Those who are of a religious persuasion speak of faith in God as the basis of their
life values.
Journalism that is driven by values, is journalism that is committed to life
principles, that make a difference in the lives of people. The values that motivate
our lives make all the difference in what, how, and why we do what we do.
Two streams that have combined to be a driving force in my journalistic life: the
search of truth, and the pursuit of justice.
Truth is influential in my life because it is what delivers me from deception and
falsehood; it’s what enables me to see clearly. It is the motivation within me to be
accurate and factual; it is the core in my foundation that brings freedom to every
aspect of my life.
I believe in the Biblical reference: “You Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall
Set You Free.” Truth opens our eyes to see clearly. There is nothing worse than
not having the ability to see truth, for truth liberates us in every aspect of our
lives.
The American blind author, Helen Keller, said: “The only thing that is worse than
being blind is having sight but no vision.”
In fact truth is not just a principle to live by. It is the life embodiment of the most
significant driving force in life. It is the key to enlightenment. It is the standard to
a life characterized by integrity. It differentiates reality from fantasy; right from
wrong; what is real from what is false and deceptive.
Christians believe the embodiment of truth is in the person of Jesus Christ. He is
not only the one who claims to be the truth; He teaches there is no truth outside
Himself. In other words, there is no truth outside the person of God.
It is in God we find the Spirit of Truth, and without the Spirit of Truth motivating
our lives, we are most vulnerable to falsehood and deception. We cannot focus
on our human selves to be the center of life. That is not only inadequate, but also
deceptive!
My commitment to truth has enabled me to stand for justice, and fight against
injustice! As a Christian Journalist, it has been the most fulfilling journey, filled
with adventure, excitement, happiness, peace; and yet marred at times with
human failure, pain, sorrow and disappointments; a kind of fruit salad
experience, yet in all of this, redemption has been a gift from a higher power.
This is what gives meaning to life. This is what gives purpose to life. In our
struggles, in our failures, we learn to exercise faith in the Living God. He is the
anchor that stabilizes everything in life.
As the song says, “even in the storm”, the anchor holds. Even in weakness and in
failure, we can experience redemption by putting trust in an ever loving God.
Without His loving hand, I would have been a dead victim, instead of a joyous
survivor. I am eternally grateful.
As a young man, I grew up with lots of dreams, some have been fulfilled, other
dreams turned into nightmares. But despite my many failures, there has always
been that desire, in fact the ambition to follow and do “the will of God”, to do the
right thing.
One thing I have discovered: life is never easy, and struggle-free. God saves us
not from our struggles, but in our struggles; He delivers us not from our sorrows,
but in our sorrows. He is the anchor to our battered ship; He is the anchor in life
despite the storms we go through.
The courage we must have, to do what we need to do, cannot be found in
ourselves. Helen Keller speaks to us again: “Many people have a wrong idea of
what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but
through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”
