Listen to the message, not shoot the messenger

I have said here before, that when a reporter asks a question, it is not that he wants to be scolded by a newsmaker in front of his friends.
He is trying to pass a message that the newsmaker would do well to answer clearly.

So please don't scold him/her, when clearly the reporter cannot scold the newsmaker back.
The questions, maybe seen as mischievous even, are actually to let the newsmaker explain a perception being seen by the public. And issue that has worried people.

Yes, sometimes the reporter didn't ask in a roundabout manner that politicians love. But what to do, difficult times are here. The rakyat is very anxious, sirs/madams.
And so sometimes one has to be direct.
I find that politicians loved be praised sky-high first.
But sometimes there is no time! The press conference may end any time!

They loved to be asked like this: 'Datuk, handsome hari ini, cantik tie warna oren (Datuk happy giler). Jangan marah nak tanya sikit: Kenapa datuk dah tua kawin pompuan muda? Tak sedar diri ke?'

Yes, true enough. Sometimes the questions are nonsense.
"Loaded', NST says. That's true too.
That is why the newsmaker must clarify and make clear.
People out there are thirsty for answers and some of the anxieties have turned into nonsensical rumours. The opposition helps to spread these of course.
That is why cool-headed answers are necessary.

The opposite of asking difficult questions in these times, is to ask easy questions:
'Datuk best lah kerajaan dah menangani isu ini.
'Walaupun dah empat hari berturut-turut dan ada saja gereja kena attack - satu dunia heboh - tapi tak ada yang mati! Hebat, datuk!
'Apa rahsia kejayaan kerajaan? Semua nak belajar pengalaman Malaysia'.
Are you ducking kidding me!?!?!

Reporters are taught to ask Five Ws and One H - See PICTURE.

Manage expectations. Kill off nasty rumours.
Please, don't shoot the messenger, sirs/madams.
I beg of you.

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Tapi memang betul juga, wartawan kadang-kadang pun samdol.
Memang patut kena bambu.
Nak tanya soalan sensitif tu biar berhemah.

Kalau saya nak tanya soalan sensitif, saya mungkin tanya cara gini: 'Datuk, jangan marah tanya sikit. Kata orang (bukan kata aku!) datuk dah kawin lagi, betul ke?
'Kononnya (konon, bukan fakta!) pompuan muda, ya ke tok?
'Kalau betul ada pula pengkritik songsang (bukan aku!) yang kata datuk dah tua nak mampos tak sedar diri ke? Apa jawapan datuk kepada mereka (bukan aku) yang kurang ajar begini? Tolong marah mereka sikit, tok!'

Wooi, datuk dengar dia pun singsing lengan nak bantai pengkritik songsang.
Walhal yang anak setan mungkin si wartawan depan mata!



Two recent examples (Opposition leaders are sometimes just as testy)
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1) NST: Najib takes reporter to task
2010/01/08

PUTRAJAYA: A reporter from The Malaysian Insider was taken to task by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for saying Umno was responsible for flaming negative sentiments on the "Allah" issue. The press conference Najib obliged to after chairing the fourth Northern Corridor Implementation Authority meeting at his office yesterday turned tense as the reporter posed a loaded question that presupposed Umno politicians as behind the escalating tension that followed the Dec 31 High Court ruling which allowed the Catholic weekly, the Herald, to use the word "Allah".

Najib warned the reporter against his offensive remark saying, "No, don't point the finger at Umno or anybody.
"We have always been very responsible... Don't say that these attacks were motivated by Umno.
"That was a very scurrilous statement you have just made," the Umno president said before asking the reporter where he was from.

After answering Najib, the reporter then tried to defend himself but was cut short by the prime minister who said: "No, no, you were alluding. Please stop that," he told him.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on Thursday also took the website to task for saying on Wednesday that he had allowed yesterday's protest to take place provided it did not get out of hand and that it would be monitored closely by the police.

2) Hisham says question asked in 'very mischievous' manner

When asked by a reporter what he thought about accusations hurled at the government for being passive on the church attacks, Hishammuddin slammed the reporter for making such a statement.

“I believe that is totally unfair. You have countries which declared an emergency in the last four days alone. There has been a curfew in a very major country. We on the other hand have had a major incident over the past four days, and the only incident which happened today was the burning of a door.

“So please look at it from that context. I do not like statements of that nature, because in four days we have managed to stabilise the situation. We have not allowed it to spread to the streets and I think the way you ask that question is very mischievous.”