Swakopmund: Journalists should not be mistaken for brand managers, public relations officers, or advertisers for institutions, but should instead be allowed to perform their constitutional role as public watchdogs serving the public interest. These were the sentiments of former journalist and now communications consultant, Usi //Hoebeb, who was speaking at the Erongo Media-Stakeholders Engagement Conference in Swakopmund on Tuesday.
According to Namibia Press Agency, //Hoebeb cautioned that ethical journalism is compromised when communicators expect the media to merely reproduce institutional messaging or sanitized narratives. 'Journalists are not brand managers. They are public watchdogs. Tension often arises when stakeholders expect favorable coverage rather than fair, accurate, and contextual reporting,' he said.
He further stressed that ethical gatekeeping requires heightened self-awareness, fairness, and responsibility, particularly in Namibia's close-knit society where journalists, politicians, and communicators often know one another personally. Drawing from his experience in broadcast journalism, //Hoebeb explained that gatekeeping decisions, from editorial meetings to story follow-ups, are influenced by news values such as timeliness, impact, proximity, prominence, and public interest, but are frequently applied under pressure, with limited resources and competing priorities.
He warned that gatekeeping becomes dangerous when it shifts from editorial judgment to political protection, commercial shielding, or personal bias, noting that ethical journalism must ask whether reporting gives the public a fair, accurate, and proportional picture of reality. Turning to communicators, //Hoebeb said ethical communication demands transparency rather than spin, cautioning against attempts to manage reputations at the expense of accountability. 'We cannot expect the media to act as random ambassadors while journalists are expected to hold power to account,' he said.
Organized and hosted by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), the two-day conference aims to build practical understanding between media practitioners and newsmakers, improve professional relationships, and strengthen the flow of accurate, timely, and credible information to the public. Discussions focus on how newsrooms operate, gatekeeping and editorial judgment, as well as deadlines and publication cycles.
The conference also addressed media revenue models, ethical boundaries between advertising and editorial content, and the writing of effective media invitations and press releases. Erongo Regional Council Chief Regional Officer Dr. Sem Ntelamo highlighted that strong societies are built on strong communication and that the media plays a vital role in bridging institutions and the communities they serve. The conference continues on Wednesday.