When Good News Ain’t So Good

Maverick was featured in a local newspaper. Although it’s only a 1-column-3-paragraph article, it had an orange Maverick title, with a headline “Go International via Asia dan Eropa”. Wow! That should be the reaction the article gives you, isn’t it? For me all it gives me is puzzlement.

The article was obviously based on an event a few weeks back, where we talked to some journos about the concept of Corporate Social Leadership (CSL) and our own CSL program. As posted earlier, in our CSL program, we have been working with Yayasan Mitra Netra since last year, and we are going to extend our program this year by working together with Yayasan Kelola Arts and Centre for the Betterment of Education (CBE).

Where the article is concerned, the incredible thing is the headline of Maverick going international. We have dreams of world domination but much as we want to, going international is not our priority just yet. And being experienced media hands we were careful about what we said or did not say. That didn’t help us though. Our technical advisor Ong, who was never interviewed by the writer was quoted as saying that now is the time for Maverick to go international, at least to Asia and Europe. Wow!

The puzzle continues…The article goes on to explain that to make this goal a reality, Maverick is cooperating with Yayasan Mitra Netra, Yayasan Kelola Arts and CBE. Another “wow” came up from me -- can those NGOs really help Maverick to go international?

The article ended with “Now is the time for Maverick to extend and develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSL) Program. CSL activities are focus to community”.

Now, if you don’t really know what’s going on, you will take that article as good and positive news. But this is what really worries me, most readers don’t know what’s really going on, and they depend so much on the media to tell them.

I read the small piece of article again and again, and yet I can’t figure out what’s the article is supposed to mean. I guess good news is not always good news and that for some journalists one should not let facts get in the way of a good story.