Stakeholder

In the book ‘Tell me no lies’ investigative journalist John Pilger quotes his favourite quotation by T.D Allman.

Allman wrote ‘genuinely objective journalism is journalism that not only gets the facts right, it gets the meaning of events right. It is compelling not only today, but stands the test of time. It is validated not only by “reliable sources” but by the unfolding of history. Its journalism that ten, twenty, fifty years after the fact still holds up a true and intelligent mirror to events’.

Over the past three weeks we have witnessed some unbelievable and incredulous investigative journalism.

Earlier this year the media unveiled the expenses scam of many politicians. Unsurprisingly, politicians did not like the scrutiny. While many had not actually done anything illegal- they claimed and claimed- just because they could. It was a grossly inadequate fig leaf when made public. Their avarice seemed to know no bounds and humility was a grace rarely encountered once exposed. To these greedy politicians, many of whom were of mediocre intelligence and limited ability, they were entitled to rewards equal to leaders in industry and commerce or pioneers in science and medicine. Yet, some of them would be lucky to survive as bottle washers in the outside world. When the dam burst and column inches fed the press frenzy outlining the scale of their political deception; they blamed the media for their misfortune in being caught out. Naturally at the lower ends of media pack poor and lazy journalism pursued the more titillating and salacious stories.

More recently Irish Bishops found themselves at the centre of the media maelstrom but in comparison to our politicians acquitted themselves reasonably well. At least they did not seem to be laying the blame for their misfortunes at the door of the media. Perhaps for the Bishops – the penny has finally dropped.

Of course, a good old fashioned sex scandal is gist to the mill for journalism- all the better if it involves money, a politician, a priest or a prostitute.

The ‘Iris-gate’ story may have started off as a sex scandal but it appears to be leading off in other directions and journalists can smell the sweat of fear. While it’s hard to distinguish between rumour and reality, it seems as if others in our political establishment may soon follow Iris into political retirement.

Much harder to piece together is investigative journalism which involves abuse, paedophilia or rape. Martha Gellhorn was one of the first journalists to enter Dachau after the Second World War. It’s hard to believe now but the Allies soon lost their taste for unveiling the full horrors of the Holocaust but as one American soldier said to Gellhorn ‘We got to talk about it. We got to talk about it, if anyone believes us or not.’ Gellhorn went on to visit Dachau and with great attention to detail wrote about the full extent of atrocities of concentration camps in her journal ‘The Face of War’.  Fifty years on her witness stands the test of Allman’s standards for good investigative journalism.

The recent allegations about Gerry Adam’s brother make uncomfortable reading for many members of Sinn Fein. It appears that not even ‘mature reflection’ seems to help the ailing memory of the principal character. Ironically, the indignant and at times defiant response from the Sinn Fein PR machine is to attack the media for fuelling the story. But this story is only being told through the press because the voice of the alleged victim was being smothered by saccharine words which lacked substance.

If further revelations about rape and abuse by senior members of the Republican movement- which are currently being investigated by the journalist, Suzanne Breen are true; then the scars of the Troubles and our definition of victimhood goes well beyond those affected by the trauma of terrorism. The dark and murky underbelly of paramilitarism may never be fully uncovered but by shining some light into that darkness will allow victims of sex abuse to be heard.

Politically speaking all these revelations come amidst serious negotiations on policing and justice- hardly ideal circumstances. If the DUP do a deal now twelve weeks from an election and with their leader in political purdah- they run the risk of electoral ruination.

Against such an emotively charged background; perhaps some journalist will question the source and timing of these saucy revelations which have brought us close to political Armageddon. As our history continues to unfold; who will hold a mirror to it?