In recent months, horror stories of celebrities abusing children and of carers neglecting their elderly patients have filled newsstands around the UK. Newspapers have reacted with strong emotions of shock, anger and disgust – but not, perhaps, of guilt.
In my humble opinion, journalists should have good eyes and better ears; they should act as watchdogs and as microphones. When a newspaper exposes a problem, especially an institutionalised one, I believe it should feel as if it has let people down by not giving them a platform to speak up.
As worthy as it sounds, I’m getting involved as a Salford Community Reporter to try, in my small way, to investigate issues which local reporters can’t or won’t look into.