Tim Sebastian talks at the Fifth Annual Conference for Arab Investigative Reporters (ARIJ) in Cairo Nov. 23-25, 2012 about growing intolerance among citizens of the world at a time when the internet revolution and social media should have turned the globe into a small village. In his keynote speech, Sebastian shares professional tips on what journalists need to check before they investigate the powerful and insists that journalists “have the right to offend” when performing their job!
Below is the transcript of his speech:
GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…..
SO YOU WANT TO INVESTIGATE THE POWERFUL. YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THE BIG BOYS. THE MEN WHO WORK IN THE SHADOWS, WHO WRITE THE RULES FOR THEMSELVES, THE MEN WHO MANAGE AND MANIPULATE YOUR COUNTRIES IN YOUR NAME – AND NOW,. IN SOME CASES, WITH YOUR VOTES.
I WISH YOU LUCK – BECAUSE YOU’RE CERTAINLY GOING TO NEED IT.
MANY YEARS AGO I CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION INTO A FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER – NOW DEAD – AND SOME DEALINGS THAT HE HAD WITH A CERTAIN WELL-KNOWN BANK. THE BANK IS NOW ALSO DEAD.
I WAS WORKING FOR A BRITISH SUNDAY NEWSPAPER AND MY STORY TOOK MONTHS TO ASSEMBLE, IT PASSED THE SCRUTINY OF LAWYERS AND EDITORS – MOST EDITORS, BUT ONLY A FRACTION OF THE STORY WAS EVER PRINTED.
IN A COUNTRY LIKE BRITAIN – WITH A LONG TRADITION OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM – HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
I CAME ACROSS SOMETHING THAT MANY OF YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE ENCOUNTERED – AND IF YOU HAVEN’T ENCOUNTERED IT, I’M SURE THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL.
IT’S A SIMPLE WORD. IT’S CALLED FEAR. AND IT WAS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT I WAS WORKING FOR.
FEAR OF OFFENDING THE VERY POWERFUL,
FEAR OF WHAT THE POWERFUL MIGHT DO IN RETALIATION,
AS ONE INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL IN THE UK SAID TO ME, WHEN MY STORY WAS CUT INTO PIECES – WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO ACHIEVE? THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN BRITAIN, HE SAID, WHO ARE – AND THIS PHRASE HAS STAYED WITH ME FOR MANY YEARS – THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, HE SAID,WHO ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR PROSECUTION.
NOT AVAILABLE FOR PROSECUTION.
NOT AVAILABLE TO BE SHAMED IN PUBLIC.
I TELL YOU THIS STORY NOT TO DAMPEN YOUR ENTHUSIASM, BUT I GUESS TO WARN YOU OF THE LONG, AND VERY DANGEROUS ROAD YOU FACE IN INVESTIGATING THE POWERFUL.
AND IF YOU THINK I’M, EXAGGERATING THE DIFFICULTIES, THEN LOOK AT THE FACTS.
OUT OF ALL THE CORRUPT LEADERS THERE ARE IN THE WORLD TODAY AND HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST HALF CENTURY – HOW MANY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT DOWN BY THE MEDIA? BY INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM.
IN 50 YEARS, HOW MANY?
HERE’S THE DEPRESSING ANSWER.
ONE.
ONE HEAD OF STATE. IN ALL THAT TIME – JUST ONE. ONE AMERICAN PRESIDENT CALLED RICHARD NIXON, BROUGHT DOWN BY THE INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS – AND THE SHEER BRAVERY — OF THE BOB WOODWARD AND CARL BERNSTEIN TEAM AT THE WASHINGTON POST.
AND THAT WAS OVER 40 YEARS AGO.
SO ALL OF YOU, WHO’RE SET TO GO AFTER THE POWERFUL, I WOULD URGE YOU TO BEAR IN MIND, THAT THE ODDS ARE MASSIVELY AGAINST YOU; THAT POWERFUL PEOPLE WILL NOT TAKE KINDLY TO BEING EXPOSED BY YOU, BUT IT IS YOUR INVESTIGATIONS THAT WILL PLAY A MAJOR PART IN KEEPING YOUR PUBLIC SERVANTS HONEST;.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE RECENT SCANDAL IN THE BBC, AND ITS CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME “NEWSNIGHT” . A SCANDAL WHICH BOILS DOWN, IN SIMPLE TERMS TO TWO FUNDAMENTAL MISTAKES.
IT FAILED TO REPORT A STORY THAT WAS CRYING OUT TO BE TOLD AND FOR WHICH THERE WAS AMPLE EVIDENCE.
AND INSTEAD THEY REPORTED ONE THAT SHOULD NOT -UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES- HAVE EVER SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY.
LET’S TAKE THE FIRST EXAMPLE. THE BBC FAILED TO TELL A STORY ABOUT A MAN CALLED JIMMY SAVILE – ONE OF ITS BEST KNOWN PRESENTERS WHO APPEARS TO HAVE ABUSED SCORES OF YOUNG CHILDREN, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CAMPAIGNING ON BEHALF OF CHARITIES AND DISADVANTATED CHILDREN.
A COMPLEX CHARACTER.
A MAN AT HOME WITH ROYALTY,A FREQUENT GUEST AT THE BEST ADDRESSES IN THE KINGDOM, BUT A MAN WITH A TERRIBLE, DARK SIDE, WHO WE NOW KNOW CAUSED UNTOLD DAMAGE AND RUINED AN UNTOLD NUMBER OF LIVES.
HOW DID HE GET AWAY WITH IT? HOW DID SO MANY PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS APPEAR TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY – WAS THE BBC FRIGHTENED TO TAKE ON A MAN, WHO SEEMED TO BE DOING SO MUCH GOOD AND HAD SO MANY POWERFUL FRIENDS? WE DON’T YET KNOW THE ANSWER – MR SAVILE HIMSELF DIED LAST YEAR – BUT WE WILL.
THE SECOND CASE INVOLVES FEWER PEOPLE BUT IS NO LESS SERIOUS IN ITS JOURNALISTIC FAILINGS. A FORMER INMATE IN A BRITISH CARE HOME, DESCRIBED TO THE BBC HOW HE HAD BEEN REPEATEDLY ABUSED BY -AMONG OTHERS – A FORMER MINISTER IN MARGARET THATCHER’S CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT. HE WAS CLEAR ABOUT THE ABUSER’S NAME – WHICH THE BBC DECIDED NOT TO MENTION. NONETHELESS, THE REPORT WAS SPECIFIC ENOUGH FOR THAT NAME TO START SURFACING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES. ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK. A MAN CONDEMNED BY THE REPORT, EVEN THOUGH HIS NAME WAS NOT DIRECTLY MENTIONED.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE NAME WAS WRONG.
NO SOONER DID THE FORMER VICTIM SEE A PICTURE OF HIS ALLEGED ABUSER THAN HE WITHDREW THE ACCUSATION AGAINST HIM AND APOLOGIZED. BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE.
IT HAS SINCE EMERGED THAT AT NO TIME IN ITS INVESTIGATION DID THE BBC EVER SHOW THE VICTIM A PICTURE OF THE FORMER MINISTER AND ASK HIM IF THIS WAS THE MAN WHO HAD ABUSED HIM.
HOW ON EARTH COULD THE BBC HAVE MADE SUCH AN ELEMENTARY, BASIC MISTAKE?
CLEARLY THERE WAS NO PROPER EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT. THE QUESTION THE BBC HAS NOW TO ANSWER IS WHY?
AND HERE’S THE LARGER QUESTION.
HOW DO YOU REBUILD TRUST, WHEN IT’S BEEN SO COMPREHENSIVELY SHATTERED.
HOW DO YOU REMIND PEOPLE THAT OVER THE YEARS YOU HAVE SUPPLIED SOME OF THE FINEST NEWS COVERAGE AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS IN THE WORLD – WHEN THE ONLY THING PEOPLE REMEMBER ARE YOUR TWO CATASTROPHIC FAILURES?
HOW DO YOU REBUILD A REPUTATION THAT TOOK DECADES TO BUILD AND JUST DAYS TO DESTROY.
SOMETHING THAT YOU TOO MIGHT CARE TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU CONSIDER A CAREER INVESTIGATING THE POWERFUL.
*
HAVING WORKED FOR THE BBC FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT WILL MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO MAKE SURE THESE MISTAKES ARE NOT REPEATED.
BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER MISTAKES, ERRORS OF JUDGEMENT, UNFAIR OR INACCURATE REPORTING – BECAUSE THAT UNFORTUNATELY IS IN THE NATURE OF A FREE PRESS.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, INCLUDES THE FREEDOM TO GET THINGS WRONG.
AFTER ALL, IT’S WHAT WE HUMANS ALL DO SO WELL – WE GET THINGS WRONG.
THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO ADMIT IT, TO LEVEL WITH THE PUBLIC, TELL THEM THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG, AND WHAT YOU’LL DO TO PREVENT IT HAPPENING AGAIN.
HEADS HAVE ALREADY ROLLED AT THE BBC. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL WAS FORCED TO RESIGN BECAUSE HE WAS DESTROYED DURING AN INTERVIEW ON ONE OF THE BBC’S OWN RADIO PROGRAMMES. AN INTERVIEW THAT SHOWED HIS FAILURE TO MANAGE THE CRISIS IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY – AND IN A WAY THAT WOULD INSPIRE CONFIDENCE AMONG THE PUBLIC.
HOW MANY OTHER BROADCASTING ORGANIZATIONS WOULD SUBJECT THEIR OWN BOSS TO THAT KIND OF TREATMENT ON HIS OWN NETWORKS? I CAN’T THINK OF ANY OTHERS OFFHAND.
AND YET MANY PEOPLE WILL HAVE BEEN OFFENDED, EVEN OUTRAGED BY WHAT THE BBC HAS DONE – AND THAT BRINGS ME TO A LARGER POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
YOUR WORK AS JOURNALISTS – HOWEVER WELL YOU DO IT – WILL OFFEND AND OUTRAGE A GREAT MANY PEOPLE.
DON’T THINK YOU WILL WIN FRIENDS WHEN YOU SHOW UP THE SHORTCOMINGS AND FAILURES OF THE POWERFUL.
ON THE CONTRARY, YOU WILL RISK BECOMING A TARGET YOURSELF – AND YOUR OWN MOTIVES AND ACTIONS MAY WELL COME UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT AND YOU COULD FIND THE PROCESS DEEPLY UNPLEASANT.
BUT HERE’S THE POINT.
IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO RESPECT YOUR RIGHT TO OFFEND – YOU NEED ALSO TO RESPECT THEIR RIGHT TO OFFEND YOU.
TO WRITE ARTICLES THAT YOU FIND INSULTING – TO VOICE OPINIONS THAT YOU FIND OUTRAGEOUS AND HURTFUL AND THAT CRITICIZE THE THINGS AND PEOPLE THAT YOU HOLD DEAR.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T RESPECT THEIR RIGHT TO OFFEND YOU – NO ONE WILL EVER RESPECT YOUR RIGHT TO OFFEND THEM. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE YOUR WORK WILL OFFEND SOMEONE
IN INDIA WHERE I WORKED THIS SUMMER, ONE GROUP DECIDED THEY DIDN’T WANT AN AUTHOR TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC, SO THEY THREATENED A RIOT, AND THE AUTHOR WAS SILENCED.
IN ONE STATE, ANOTHER GROUP OBJECTED TO A FILM BEING SHOWN AND THREATENED ANOTHER RIOT. THE FILM WAS BANNED. AND THE MOB HAD ITS WAY.
THE REALLY SAD FACT IS THAT ALL OVER THE WORLD, AT A TIME WHEN WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE INTER-CONNECTED, NEVER HAD GREATER ACCESS TO INFORMATION, TOLERANCE IS DYING. TOLERANCE FOR IDEAS WE DON’T LIKE AND OPINIONS WE DON’T SHARE.
AND WE WILL ALL BE POORER AS A RESULT.
THE TRUTH IS THAT SOMETHING, SOMEWHERE WILL ALWAYS OFFEND SOMEONE. IF THAT’S A REASON TO BAN IT, THEN WE’LL ALL GET INTO THE BANNING BUSINESS AND
CULTURE AND FREE SPEECH AS WE KNOW IT, WILL GRADUALLY DIE OUT ON THIS PLANET. WARRING MOBS WILL DECIDE WHAT WE ALL GET TO SEE, HEAR AND READ. NO WORK OF ART, NO STATUE, PICTURE, FILM, BOOK, PLAY ARTICLE WILL BE SAFE FROM THOSE WHO WOULD SEEK TO DESTROY THEM..
MY FEAR IS THAT THAT’S WHERE WE’RE HEADING UNLESS WE ALL STAND UP FOR FREE SPEECH – NOT JUST FOR OURSELVES – BUT FOR EVERYONE. WHETHER WE LIKE THEIR VIEWS OR NOT.
THE FREEDOM TO SPEAK, THE FREEDOM TO OFFEND, THE FREEDOM TO CRITICIZE, THE FREEDOM TO GET IT WRONG.
ULTIMATELY, THOSE FREEDOMS ARE THE ONLY PROTECTION WE HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.