I live very much in the present and appreciate modern technology, gadgets and applications that make my life easier. I do not think of the old days as good, but in some ways, I am quite old-fashioned. I adhere to classic journalism, and I consider it a mission to be an educating communicator. Fluff pieces, short stories without substance and other empty mental calories are just not my thing.

I realise that this publication and I may be a dying breed in an increasingly fast-paced and superficial media landscape where sensationalism, clickbait and a loose relationship with the truth are taking over. But so be it. I will not and cannot do it any other way.

It is said that an independent and free press is a cornerstone of a liberal democracy and an institution that helps secure the hard-fought freedoms and liberties we still enjoy. An independent and critical press is also supposed to provide unbiased and neutral information and authoritative guidance on various matters, particularly when it comes to reviews.

As we are also reliant on paying clients—advertisers—to keep the lights on, this could easily present some challenges and conflicts of interest. Would we give a client a bad review? Yes, we actually would. And we have done so in the past. Let me explain why.

Integrity is everything. It is the foundation of the unwritten contract we have with our readership, with you. Once we blow it, we have nothing.

Adam Savage, known for his role in the Mythbusters series on the Discovery Channel, was asked whether the show would ever consider doing sponsored content or giving sponsors a mention. His response was an emphatic no: “You can only sell your integrity once.”

Not only is that my concern, but if I could not freely express what I think about a place, product or service, I would not be able to function.

Say you start making some concessions or toning down some criticism out of concern for what a client would say, or perhaps out of fear of losing them. Where would it stop? One would be on a slippery slope, and before you know it, the advertiser is also the author, or at least a censor. I would end up going bonkers and losing a lot of sleep over it. So, I do not even go there.

Fortunately, the clients who have the means of retaining our services also have good products or services. It is not shoddy operations that knock on our door.

We do not give clients any influence or say, and they cannot see an article before it is published. Sometimes, when a client asks me if I really expect them to just pay and not have any influence on the output, my reply is simply: “Yes, I do.” I then ask them if they believe in their own product and if they believe in our brand, professionalism and reputation. To which they usually reply that they do. After which I add: “Then you have nothing to worry about, do you?”

I also tell them that if we find anything that is not up to standard, we will provide detailed feedback. In the case of reviewing dive equipment, we have sent back review samples and told the manufacturer to try again and do better. Initially, this caused a couple of furrowed eyebrows, but in the end, everyone was happy because it resulted in a better product. 

And that is what matters.