The difference between press and politicians

I took part in a panel discussion this morning at the Social Justice conference organized by Diane Parker of Kamloops Immigrant Services. My assignment was to talk to about 70 young people about social justice from an editor’s perspective, and from a mayor’s perspective.

It gave me an opportunity to reflect on the two roles, and I concluded that the fundamental difference is this: journalists talk about change, politicians make change.

I say that because politicians have legislative authority. They sign into law rules that tell us what we can and cannot do, and they sign cheques that direct our money toward public expenditures.

The media, on the other hand, have no such power. They report, they comment, they critique, they cajole, they demand but, at the end of the day, they can’t do a damn thing on their own.

There’s an old joke that asks, “How many politicians does it take to change a lightbulb?” The answer is, “None, they only promise change.”

That could easily apply to journalists, with the answer being, “None, they only talk about change.”

When I moved back to my old newspaper job after being mayor for six years, I was often frustrated by what I viewed as mistakes and lack of action on the part of the new batch of local politicians. It was particularly discouraging when some of the things I started weren’t carried through.

But as time wore on, I came to appreciate all over again just how important a free press is to a free society. Journalists do have influence, and its wielded through reflecting the goals of the communities they serve. They’re free of the burden of having to say the most popular thing — they provide people with the information they need to form their own opinions.

By shedding light on the excesses and deficiencies of government, they help improve the quality of government we get. By being a vehicle for the complaints, problems and ideas of those in the community, they help apply pressure on politicians to do the right thing.

And that pressure is a necessity particularly with social justice issues, because politicians need persuading on such things. The homeless, the destitute, the disadvantaged don’t have much clout, because often they aren’t voters — and the ballot box is key.

And that’s where the press and public come in.