Politicians and journalists have a special relationship. One could say a love-hate relationship. No matter how much they think they have done for one another, politicians will never be satisfied with what journalists write about them. And journalists will never be satisfied with the answers of politicians.

It is understandable that in politics, it is sometimes suicidal to be honest and truthful. But politicians really have little choice. Holding back the truth or exposing half-truths may get them into hot soup. Therefore it is better to strategise the best way to share information with the public without incriminating the party or themselves.

Commonwealth secretary-general Don McKinnon said at the Commonwealth Journalists Association conference in Nigeria last year that the media have the ability to build a politician up.

But the higher you build them, the further they fall. I felt (as a minister) that, if you had all the information, there was a reasonable chance the story would come out right. If journalists know a politician is hiding something, hes in for a very difficult time.

The late Dutch Morial, mayor of New Orleans, United States said in a 1983 address in San Francisco to the standard-setting journalist organisation Sigma Delta Chi (now the Society of Professional Journalists) that he believed that there is a symbiotic relationship between public officials and reporters.

Sold to the public

We need the news media to help us inform the public and you need us to produce news. In the end, we both seek the same thing: to keep the public fully and accurately informed.

"It does not have to be an adversarial relationship. It should be a relationship that serves the best interests of the public. And neither public officials nor reporters have the exclusive right to determine what is in the public interest. That is a joint responsibility.

Morial said this nearly two decades ago, amidst then current debates about relationships between mayors, mayoral candidates and the media.

Today, his remarks need revisiting and excerpts of his speech were reproduced last November by writer Allen Johnson Jr in Gambit Weekly , an Internet news website based in New Orleans.

Morial, a sharp critic of the media, said that when a person becomes a public official or a candidate for office, he or she expects to have their actions publicised, analysed and criticised by the news media.

However, he added, that while most politicians welcome fair and responsible examination by the media, they learn that once they become public figures they turn into a commodity that is packaged and sold to the public in a manner that is more often slanted toward boosting ratings and circulation to make profits, rather than toward fully informing the public.

Writing new jokes

"The problem is more pervasive among television news than print. If it's not entertaining or controversial or shocking, it's not news. If we don't have tape on it, it's not news, he said.

There are times when journalists feel bored because of the politicians emphasis on issues rather than on politics; substance rather than style.

The result, said Morial, is an oversimplification of complex issues, emphasising an offbeat or side issue while down-playing the major issue; manufacturing controversy when none really exists, and giving preferential coverage to one political figure who may be more interesting or entertaining than his opponent.

"Not all of the blame goes to the reporters and editors. There are politicians who promote simplistic solutions to complex problems, who devote more time to writing new jokes and humorous anecdotes than they spend developing public policy, said Morial.

But I think reporters are guilty of catering to those politicians while sacrificing serious discussion on the issues. While this kind of reporting makes campaigning easier for some candidates, it makes governing much more difficult for an elected official, Morial added.

As in any human relationship, the line between friendship and professionalism is blurred. Both politicians and journalists are guilty of this. The situation is bearable until a reporter seeks information about a controversial matter pertaining to the politician whom he or she has a close relationship with.

When a reporter produces an article which is unfavourable to a politician, the latter sometimes employs emotional blackmail tactics to pressure or sanction the said reporter.

Politician who raised voice

I am upset, we are friends, how can you do this to me? a politician once said to this writer. The politician had even wanted to know the source of the writers story. She had total disregard for the basic of journalism and even politics which is Never reveal your source. Journalists should have an inalienable right to protect their sources.

The fact is we are not even good friends, simply acquaintances who met in the course of our duties. But the slightest inkling of friendship gave this politician a feeling that she had the right to raise her voice and harass this journalists for her manner in handling the story.

This politician had been really kind until she became the main focus of a story. She said she felt made use of.

Mayor Morial has also commented on reporters who get too chummy with politicians.

"I believe this has always been a problem and always will be. This problem can be seen in its most obvious form in New Orleans by walking into a particular steakhouse any day of the week and seeing political reporters enjoying free meals from the politicians who frequent that establishment.

And I am aware of one case where a political reporter moonlights as a paid writer for a political consultant.

"But the problem is not always that obvious. Because political reporters are dependent upon informed sources, there is the danger that they will develop a close relationship with a small circle of pollsters, political consultants and other so-called 'political observers.'

And from this small circle of sources they develop a particular political view that becomes apparent in their reporting and their analyses of political issues. In every city, there are competing factions and interests and there is a danger of a political reporter becoming too closely associated with one faction or another.

Stake in the outcome

Morial said that another consequence of the close relationships between political reporters and political figures is that some reporters want to become participants rather than observers.

He said some cannot resist the temptation of getting into the game and devising political strategy and dispensing political advice.

In a statewide election in Louisiana, one of the most common phrases used by political reporters was 'if candidate X is going to win this election, he is going to have to do this or that.' And woe be to the candidate who disagrees with or ignores the advice of certain political reporters, Morial said.

"I believe it is acceptable for political reporters to report on the political strategy of various campaigns even though I would prefer to see them concentrate on substantive public issues. But I do not think that political reporters should place themselves in a position of publicly or privately advising candidates on strategy.

Once a reporter becomes involved to that degree, he or she has a stake in the outcome of the election and an interest in proving themselves to have been correct. Therefore, the best safeguard against improprieties by reporters is a strong and active professional organization that is willing to establish and enforce a strict code of ethics, Morial said.

Vigilant and courageous

The essence of the journalists code of ethics worldwide is to act independently free of obligation to any interest other than the publics right to know.

Journalists should also avoid conflicts of interest - real or perceived, remain free of associations and activities that may compromise their integrity or damage their credibility.

It is only right for journalists to refuse gifts, favours, fees, free travel, special treatment, secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organisations if these will compromise their journalistic integrity.

A journalist should not refrain from disclosing unavoidable conflicts should the situation demand for it and be vigilant and courageous on holding those in power accountable.

A tall order? Perhaps, and politicians cant be too demanding. Which reminds this writer of an Internet missive that goes something like this:

A man was worried that his son had not chosen a career. He consulted a clergyman-friend who said: Give him a test and lets see how he reacts. Put a bible, a medical book and a law book on the table and right in the centre, a bottle of cold beer. See what happens when he comes in.

The son, having returned from a night on the town, read a page of the law book and put it aside. Then he read a page of the bible, then a page of the medical book. Then he drank the beer. The somewhat troubled father went to see his friend. So you dont know what your sons career is likely to be? asked the clergyman. He will either be a journalist or a politician..

SUSAN LOONE is a malayskini journalist.