Hacks can be a decadent lot but in the past two weeks we’ve had revelations of unbelievable skulduggery in newsrooms, where reporters and editors have been accused of twisting the news to suit politicians and, bizarrely, entertainment figures and the SABC.

The latest comes from Avusa’s public editor Thabo Leshilo, who wrote a thunderous column in the group’s titles at the weekend revealing that the Sowetan discovered last year that reporters were allegedly getting cash to write stories about the SABC and that a few weeks ago the Sunday Sun sent a “highly compromised” news editor quietly on his way. And then there was this from the redoubtable Leshilo:

Coming closer to home, it would be interesting to see how two complaints I took up about a classic case of conflict of interest involving the news editor of Sunday World pan out. The complaints, received in mid-August, were by small, independent recording companies claiming that the news editor, who is also the co-owner of a recording company, denies their artists publicity while those from his stable are constantly featured.

I have never seen such foot-dragging, buck-passing, obfuscation and abdication of responsibility on something so damaging to the credibility of a newspaper. Watch this space.

I presume that means he’s getting no joy out of the Sowetan managers in dealing with the complaints. Sies! But believe him when Thabo says “Watch this space”. He’s a good man and has attacked his new role as the company’s public editor with tenacious energy.

This all follows hot on the heels on revelations in the Mail & Guardian that a couple of Cape Town journalists — most notable a senior staff member at the Cape Argus — are accused of allegedly influencing and writing stories to suit the ends of political parties. Read all about it here.

If any of these allegations are true, the papers should move swiftly to investigate, hold disciplinary hearings and then they should name and shame the culprits. If it’s true, they have broken the trust that exists between the public and the papers and no newspaper can write credibly about corruption in our country unless they deal with this openly and decisively.

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