On the evening of Friday, June 13, the world was waking up to news that legendary journalist, Tim Russert, had collapsed and died of a heart attack at the age of 58. Described as an icon in the US media, Russert’s presence was felt globally and was a permanent Sunday morning television fixture as host of the NBC talk show “Meet the Press”.

He joined the corporation a quarter century ago and ended up as the longest-tenured host of the programme, often wearing a grin even as he relentlessly pursued the truth through questions posed to some of the most influential leaders, many of whom stopped to offer words of comfort and affection to grieving family members and colleagues. 

US President George W. Bush said Russert was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades.

Tim was a tough and hardworking newsman. He was always well-informed and thorough in his interviews. And he was as gregarious off the set as he was prepared on it, President Bush noted.

Even the two US Presidential candidates dropped campaign messages and put party differences aside to lament the contributions made by Russert to journalism.    

There wasn’t a better interviewer in television. Not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics. And he was also one of the finest men I knew, said Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic Party nominee for the ‘Oval Office’.

The Republican Party presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, described Russert as a truly great American who loved his family, his friends, his Buffalo Bills, and everything about politics and America .

To compliment his strong on-screen persona, Russert proved the importance of balancing family needs with the demands of a 24-hour profession. To his credit, he wrote two best-selling books, including the much-loved “Big Russ and Me” which reflected on his relationship with his father.

Russert’s finest contributions to journalism will live on for as long as those who will continue to bear the mantle of the profession, and also prepared to epitomise the principles Russert stood for.

Equally, media workers must guard against private interests that seek to similarly engage in media manipulation to avoid the publicity of certain issues about themselves or their opponents or competitors.

It is critical that the media fraternity in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean Community understands the importance of its role in shaping societal values and safeguarding the public’s right to know, whilst holding fast to the tenets of the profession.

It must be understood that the freedom taken for granted in countries such as ours are still non-existent in some jurisdictions.

Even as we mourn Russert’s tragic passing, we must not let this moment fly by without making a commitment to embolden the functioning of the media in the Territory as a respected entity with a meaningful contribution to the development and growth of this democratic state.

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