There have been times when I have been ashamed to be part of the media industry: this week was one of those.
The role that the media played in the virtual destruction of a poor family’s life in the Western Cape this week cannot be overlooked.
Before he became the focus of media attention in the mistaken belief that he had won R91 million in the national lottery’s Powerball competition last Friday, Stanley Philander lived a quiet life in the backyard of a relative’s home in Parkwood, Cape Town. Like so many other Cape Flats families, Philander lives in a Wendy house at the back of relative’s property.
On Sunday, a tabloid ran an interview with the deaf man who works as a cleaner at a Wynberg store, complete with a picture identifying him as the person who had won R91 million. Within hours of the newspaper hitting the newsstands, Philander and his wife had to go into hiding.
I could not believe when I heard on radio how the presenter identified Philander as the winner. Later I could not believe when I saw his picture in a newspaper.
I recalled one of the first stories I did as a young reporter: it dealt with a man from Elsies River who had won a huge jackpot and had to go into hiding as relatives he never knew suddenly came out of the woodwork and everybody else wanted to get their hands on his money.
Two days later, it has been learnt that though Philander had the correct numbers, he had the wrong date on his ticket. Instead of Friday’s date (February 12), his ticket was dated February 16.
One of the basic rules of journalism is that you need to verify information before you publish anything. Clearly, the person who wrote the original story did not verify that the information was correct before deciding to publish. Surely, the reporter should have asked to have a look at the ticket?
In this case, I don’t only blame the reporter and photographer. I also blame the editors who must have salivated at the thought of publishing this “exclusive” story.
The fact that all the other media followed their lead shows the “hunting in packs” mentality that has gripped the media in this country. Just because one media outlet says something, everybody else believes it to be true.
To their credit, the Cape Argus decided to inspect the “winning” ticket, but only a day after they already carried a front-page article on the “lotto winner”.
Now that their “scoop” has been proven to be untrue, it will be interesting to see if anyone in the media industry will take responsibility for their actions. Will anybody apologise to the family for invading their privacy and effectively destroying their lives?
I think not. We are not known to take responsibility for our actions in an industry where we thrive on trying to make sure that everybody else accounts for their actions. Somebody in the media industry owes Mr Philander and his family a huge apology.
quite right Ryland, apologies to the Philander family and Zuma and Khoza and Sonono Khoza and Max (zilles max not Karl) oh did I say Tiger woods. If a man woman want to get it on all they need is to close the curtains- its nobodys bizness
What’s even worse is that this man’s life is possibly in danger now. I mean, many people might not have heard the news that he is actually not the winner.
I wasted my money buying the CApe ARGUS’s initial publication of this story I didn’t bother buying the other one.
Yep, get used to it, the SA media–more particularly the print media– is one of your kind.
Deal with its poorly constucted stories, concorting ‘investigative’ reporters, tabloidism, etc joyfully
Financial compensation would be in order. Money is the only punishment the tabloids will understand, they are not interested in facts or ethics.
Dear Ryland,
Above the hulabaloo of Mr. Philander’s date of the ticket- and what every body in this country are missing is that how on earth and in heaven can he have the same correct numbers as the “person who actually WON it”-HA-HA and also in the Western Cape HA- Ha to the power of 10Million.
The chances of one person having the correct number is 35 Million to 1!!!!
Please let me know if you received my e-mail and I give you a bag full of funnies about the kamstagge Lotto!!
Regards, Gert van Niekerk
Poor Philander family, their life has been destroyed and a question should be directed to the 1st journalist who wrote the story, Aren’t you suppose to verify your facts before running with the story? I think the journalist should apologise to the family.
Touche.
Somebody must be fired for reporting the incorrect information and making a dime on a deaf and mute, poor individual.Surely Philander should be compensated since the media made a small fortune at his expense.
Exactly. This is exactly what I’ve been saying. A friend, however, says he doesn’t think the journalists violated any of their ethics. Do you think this is true, and if so, shouldn’t newspapers review their ethics code?
I only have 2 things to say.
First this gentleman should sue whoever ran with that story. Any publications that ran with that story is supposed to pay this poor guys. Having said that, how on earth did he decide to go and play the very number that won the previous day? How did the media get to learn about this? Did he pick up the phone and call some publication in the hope that the actual winner will not collect his price and perhaps and maybe they will just give it to him?
The media is unrepentant and too arrogant to admit their failures and bloopers.
I am also ashamed with what is happening with the print media and e-TV.
The editor of the Sowetan has had to defend glaringly misleading headlines this month alone.
On Monday, the paper claimed on the front that Cosatu had said Zuma was the new Mbeki.
Seeing the posters, I knew immediately the headline was just an attempt to sell more copies at the expense of the truth and fair reporting.
The following observation comes from Anton Harber’s recent Business Day column titled: Are our editors giving up the fight for a journalism of quality and credibility?
“Du Plessis cautioned about trashing our own work when we are one of the most important counterbalances to a ruling party with way too much power. Our media is under pressure and we have a government which does not like us, he warned. “We must be careful of going into self-flagellation,” he said.
The same editor was the first to publish a negative World Cuop story two years ago.
The readers are not stupid!
He just decided to go get the ticket then,
eish when are we going to learn as people, you don’t play games in serious situations otherwise you might be the game.
Aai
Ryland: are you actually still “part of the media”?
as far as I can tell you are an EX-journalist and now a consultant. How does that make you part of the media?
Mehlo – How do you define media? As he is clearly still writing in a public forum and playing a role consulting to the media and as a writer.
Ryland Fisher ,you one guy i will respect forever.I love your articles abd your way of thinking