Right from day one of my working life I was required to deal with the media and surrounding communities on behalf of my organisation. And quite early I realised the power of the media as well as its nature as a double-edged weapon. It can build or destroy a story overnight! It can report facts in their stark nakedness or conceal/highlight important facets in a way that effectively misrepresents the reality. If adequate care is not taken, even the visuals accompanying the text can convey a totally distorted picture to readers. With its reach and mass credibility, the media wields influence over public opinion that is quite unmatched.
My first serious encounter with the media was in 1984 when a journalist reported the death of a factory worker, saying he had fallen into the soap pan of “Double Soap” whereas the actual name of the soap was Bubble. Citing the news report, the rival company won a court case — obtaining a ban on the usage of the name “Bubble” because even the educated journalist had confused the name with “Double”. So, he had caused, in the bargain, the death of a brand name!
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