PUNCHLINE
Government spin doctors are just cheque collectors
Nie Cele
In any modern day society, It is a norm that any public figure speaks to the media at large via a spokesperson.
This person handles all matters relating to publicity. English dictionary describes them as Spin doctors.
Their job description is to publicize favorable interpretations of the words and actions of their masters or principals.
In active and civic politics these are the people tasked to provide a favorable slant to any item of news, potentially unpopular policy on behalf of a political personality or party.
This practice is now an entrenched global trend that has stood the test of time for most public figures. But in this country, most spin doctors employed in government departments, municipalities and its entities wittingly dilly dally for no apparent reasons when they are supposed to spin the information. But come month end they are the first bunch to go to the ATM’s.
In some government quarters, You still find some media-shy spin-doctors. Punchline nicknames them stooges’ or super morons. Punchline believes that they deserve these names because they are hell bent on starving the media with critical information that is supposed to be disseminated to the public. Sadly they are paid every month.
When there is an impromptu briefing by their masters they are quick to call and invite every media house in their database. They go to an extent of phoning individual journalists up to five times to remind them about the event. Some of them are empty headed popinjays, while others possess this academic look always found in university corridors.
One common factor about them, they are usually snazzy dressed and always carrying top of the range cellphone gadgets and tablets portraying to be a techno savvy geeks.
Some of them can’t even string a one line sentence using a computer keyboard. Those who do comment chooses to comment via the theatre of the mind (radio) because spoken language to them is more simpler than written one. Others are quick to comment on television so that they can be seen by their associates back home.
A snap survey conducted by Punchline generally paints a grim picture showing that government spin doctor’s careers are in a moribund state.
These cheque collectors need to be reminded that they are employed and paid to spin information and not to sit in posh offices only. The last time I worked in the newsroom for a media house owned by capitalists, I became the unpopular writer because I challenged their actions and reported them to their masters who seemed unperturbed by their actions. After all their masters couldn’t do a thing because these spin doctors are usually political deployments.
This is a sickening scenario that seeks to be challenged at the highest echelons of government. The only way to correct this conundrum is to get rid of deployments and hire professionally trained people. Some media experts believes that most spin doctors should be sent for in-service training or an exchange program with the newsroom be arranged. Punchline says to these moegoes you are paid to spin the information finish and klaar.
