I always considered British BBC the ideal for journalistic credibility and professionalism. However, its reportage about the caged beds in the Czech Republic is more of an ideal for tabloid theme search that draws cheap attention – regardless of truth.

The now content pensioner [former Prime Minister] Miloš Zeman once called journalists a sink, manure and mob and also the heads of the biggest political parties Mirek Topolánek and Jiří Paroubek like to have go at journalists. It would be bad if these politicians only praised journalists and journalists praised them – the barrier between media servility and corruption is very thin. But generalising and jumbling all together irritates me.

As in every profession, there are excellent, good, average and poor journalists.

In the reportage on caged beds in Czech social care homes, BBC reporters did a poor job. Leaving aside the undercover manoeuvre when entering the care home and shooting with a hidden camera, what is really startling is the certainty of their strict verdict that mentally and physically handicapped are treated badly in the Czech Republic. The commentary based on the pictures of several children in the caged beds (they may be old, but they are still mentally children) only is a very poor journalist call card and throws shadows on BBC's gloriole.

If the commentary was based on at least a month-long undercover action of a journalist in the role of an attendant in a daily contact with reality, patients and colleagues doing a meritorious and difficult job in the care homes for years, it would certainly send a different message. And it would confirm that it is all just a bubble and that the care homes suffering from lack of staff simply cannot do without the beds and that the beds protect patients rather than restrict their human rights.

When the world famous author Joanne K. Rowling launched her criticism, we could perhaps smile benevolently: this lady lives in a fairytale surroundings full of fantasy, her view of the reality of ordinary life can be misled. However, in the case of the renowned BBC reportage we should be vigilant. People take BBC seriously. BBC management should check the quality of their staff so that BBC's reputation doesn't fade.

I was recently struck with an ad in the only Czech daily that has so far resisted tabloidisation, i.e. Hospodářské noviny, offering job opportunities for editors. The “Requirements” column contained two points only: 1) at least a partial command of economic journalism and the English language, 2) drive, curiosity and independence. These are requirements for the job of a local weekly editor, not for the employee of the most prestigious national daily! In the case of HN, I would expect the necessity of a university degree, if possible in Economics, work experience of at least five years in a business magazine or a business column of a serious paper and not partial, but good command of English.

Every editor-in-chief would agree that it is difficult to find a good journalist these days. However, BBC and HN should overcome these difficulties. The way of reducing requirements for journalists’ professional qualities indicated in the HN ad and the BBC cheap Czech reportage can lead to the hell of nonquality, incredibility and tabloidisation. Then journalists – even the excellent ones – will have to struggle to get rid of the general stink or mob label. Besides, I would be very sorry if BBC and HN should lose their reputation.

See also: BBC reveals institutionally caged Czech children and Czech Minister attacks BBC over cage-bed story