Writing is a joy, an art, informative, educational and sometimes downright misleading. The pen is mightier than the sword, the old adage goes.

Certainly true the more we use writing as a powerful weapon. As with all weapons it is not only important how we use it but to know why, when and towards who and what we use it. Having started my professional career in photojournalism, it became abundantly clear there were learned tricks, obfuscations, dirty tricks and downright propaganda placed on all those along the news and information chain.

Today it has got to such a state that in most cases it can be said real journalism no longer is allowed to exist. I say allowed because the Mainstream Media outlets responsible for serving up the news and current affairs is controlled by a very few, exorbitantly rich individuals who make it their journey to act as bullhorns and propaganda machines for a tiny, yet very powerful group of über controllers. These individuals have zero interest in anything unbiased and every interest in ‘pushing’ agendas.

It was why I left the industry some years ago. There could be found little integrity and certainly less independence. The classic investigative journalist was sidelined to independent status that found the oxygen of the Internet as their recourse and communications channel.

It also remained in the book. Books have never been able to be silenced with any modicum of finality. They have been burned, they have been banned but even when the vested interests of the major publishing houses succumbed and were swallowed by the very vested interests existing in the mainstream, there always remained those with a soul, heart and purpose to disseminate truth. Again the internet, self publishing and a raft of DIY methodology allowed the individual voice to shout across the globe.

Today’s news and information portals with any sense or flavour of integrity and investigative credibility are the remit of those daring speak, seek and publicly convey truth, right action and  purpose.