Media under attack

Reggae singer Bob Marley once performed just two days after being shot. When asked why he persevered through the excruciating pain and risked his survival to perform, he said those who were trying to make the world a worse place were not taking a day off, so why should he. Over the past year, where humanity has faced an existential yet invisible foe, journalists have not been able to take a day off. Sadly, the pandemic-induced lockdowns have not kept those who want to make the world a worst place inside either. Over the past year, nearly 50 journalists were killed around the world, a vast majority of them, for their work. Countries with the highest number of journalists murdered were Mexico, India and Pakistan. One would imagine that during a pandemic, journalists would have been the most important cog in containing it. Hence, targeting journalists for their work — particularly those probing cases of corruption — would only mean that those trying to make the world a worst place did not let the pandemic constrain them.

And an annual report by the Reporters Sans Frontiers found that curbs for media also increased during the year. Multiple reports by international media and rights organisations have pointed towards the growing restrictions for media. Journalists who once ruled the airwaves have been forced to the digital realm. Then there is the harassment of journalists through state organs. Proclamations from the podiums of state, attacking the media for spreading fake news also greatly damaged the credibility of the media. This was on full view during the pandemic as people largely ignored what was being communicated via various outlets on the virus. Then there is the impunity for those who kill journalists, with the year ending with the murderer of American journalist Daniel Pearl being released from jail. Media is the fourth pillar of the state. No other time in modern history than the last year showed its importance once more. Attacking it could be catastrophic.