Green and bear it

Outgoing ombud Johan Retief, right, offers advice for Green:

“Be fair, be quick, be brave, and don’t enter a popularity contest – the person against whom you find is bound to be unhappy with your decision. Live with it. Be even more wary during election time – people have agendas with which they try to influence the media as well as the ombud. Be sceptical and cynical.” Retief said there had been a few times when he was unhappy about what had been reported about him but, as the only person in SA who could not complain to the ombud, he had taken those instances on the chin and moved on with his life.

When to complain:

● A story has factual errors;

● The reporting is unethical;

● The subject of a critical story was not afforded the right of reply;

● The subject wasn’t given reasonable time to respond;

● The story is defamatory;

● Commercial, political or personal considerations were allowed to influence the reporting; and

● The publication contains child pornography.

When not to complain

● You don’t like an advert (the press ombud rules only on editorial);

● Your newspaper wasn’t delivered;

● The photographer didn’t capture your best side (you can certainly complain if the photographer Photoshopped an extra chin on, though);

● You spot a misplaced apos’trophe (just breathe and count to 10); and

● The newspaper published the incorrect crossword grid (that’s when hardened crossword solvers should march directly to the editor’s office and stage a sit-in).