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A sad day for journalism

Herald Sun July 09, 2011 12:00AM

THIS is a painful editorial for us to write. We would rather be writing about the sort of journalists we are, rather than the sort of journalists we are not.

We would rather be telling you about the journalism we have published in this newspaper in recent times which we believe is journalism that matters.

The enduring love story of the Rowe family from suburban Nunawading who ignored doctors' advice to let their daughter Lynny - born with no arms and legs nearly 50 years ago - die. They took their baby girl home and have loved her every day since.

Journalism that can change the place where you live or how you view the world. Commentary that contributes to our robust democracy.

Investigative reporting that can expose things that should never be hidden from the bright light of public gaze. Like our recent revelation that murders had been committed by offenders mistakenly released on parole because of a police computer bungle. That to us is journalism that matters.

That is the journalism we stand for at this newspaper. That sort of journalism matters to us deeply and we hope you find in the Herald

Sun journalism that matters to you.

Every day, we hope you find things in the Herald Sun that make you question things that have happened in our community. Sometimes you will find things that make you laugh or even make you cry. We hope the Herald Sun will help you live a better life and see your place in our community, our nation and our world.

But today is a day when we cannot talk about that sort of journalism.

THE behaviour uncovered at the News of the World newspaper in London - a Sunday newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns the Herald Sun - is a terrible slur on the profession of journalism.

Phone hacking is the antithesis of everything we stand for. Allegations that the mobile phone of a murdered child or the loved ones of victims of terrorism were hacked into make us feel sick to the core. It is indefensible.

News Corporation's chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch has called the actions deplorable. Chairman and chief executive of

News Limited, John Hartigan, said the behaviour was an affront to all of us who value the integrity and credibility of good journalism. We agree.

As journalists we feel shamed and shocked that people who call themselves members of our craft have indulged in behaviour that has shattered the treasured bond of trust between a newspaper and the community it serves. It isn't just that the behaviour is wrong - it also lacks any skerrick of decency.

The Herald Sun does not indulge in that sort of behaviour. If staff on our paper did, they would be sacked immediately - and that would only be the first step.

We have never heard of journalists in Australia indulging in that sort of behaviour and we hope we never hear that any respected newspaper or any person who calls themselves a journalist has engaged in it.

The day we do would be a sad day for the craft of journalism in this country.

It would tarnish the value of the good journalism that we believe comes from newspapers in this country and in particular, from the paper that thumps on your front lawn every morning - your paper, the Herald Sun.