It’s called conflict of interest, sir!
Generally, cricket chiefs defend captains and teams in public and bash them behind closed doors in case of a failure.
It is with great regret that I am writing this piece to argue media ethics with a journalist of Najam Sethi’s stature. Sethi, who also happens to be Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Interim Management Committee Chairman, surprised everybody by interviewing captain Misbahul Haq on his television show last weekend.
Heavy criticism from the pundits of the sport and the media, that ensued after the interview was aired, was a clear-cut case of conflict of interest.
How can a sitting PCB chairman turn into an anchor/journalist and grill someone he has chosen himself to lead the team on a TV show? Was this a stunt to beguile the general public? What are the ethics involved? Is this not a conflict of interest?
Generally, cricket chiefs defend captains and teams in public and bash them behind closed doors in case of a failure.
It is not a secret that Misbah became the most wanted man by the media amid the ongoing slump of national team, and Sethi, perhaps, used his position to the maximum by asking the captain to appear in his show for an exclusive interview. This certainly reeks of undue favour and bias.
As per the norm in the cricket board, Sethi has defended his move. The PCB says that the interview was arranged to provide Misbah a platform to answer his critics. Unfortunately, the statement seems mere eyewash and an absolutely inadequate explanation. And why should the PCB defend a TV show?
At the same time, one is left wondering: Was Sethi’s show the only viable platform? Isn’t there even a single reputed cricket journalist in the country who could have conducted an unbiased interview?
It’s pertinent to mention here that at the time of Sethi’s interim appointment as PCB chairman, many experts had asked if he would keep donning his journalist hat. So far he is stuck to that.
PCB found itself in a similar situation a few years ago when the former captain Rameez Raja left a senior post in the board as he wanted to continue being a commentator.
Mr Sethi, our cricket is already facing tough challenges on several fronts and such unnecessary controversy is an insult added to injury. We hope that soon you will make a choice between the PCB chairmanship and playing an anchor on TV.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2013.
Heavy criticism from the pundits of the sport and the media, that ensued after the interview was aired, was a clear-cut case of conflict of interest.
How can a sitting PCB chairman turn into an anchor/journalist and grill someone he has chosen himself to lead the team on a TV show? Was this a stunt to beguile the general public? What are the ethics involved? Is this not a conflict of interest?
Generally, cricket chiefs defend captains and teams in public and bash them behind closed doors in case of a failure.
It is not a secret that Misbah became the most wanted man by the media amid the ongoing slump of national team, and Sethi, perhaps, used his position to the maximum by asking the captain to appear in his show for an exclusive interview. This certainly reeks of undue favour and bias.
As per the norm in the cricket board, Sethi has defended his move. The PCB says that the interview was arranged to provide Misbah a platform to answer his critics. Unfortunately, the statement seems mere eyewash and an absolutely inadequate explanation. And why should the PCB defend a TV show?
At the same time, one is left wondering: Was Sethi’s show the only viable platform? Isn’t there even a single reputed cricket journalist in the country who could have conducted an unbiased interview?
It’s pertinent to mention here that at the time of Sethi’s interim appointment as PCB chairman, many experts had asked if he would keep donning his journalist hat. So far he is stuck to that.
PCB found itself in a similar situation a few years ago when the former captain Rameez Raja left a senior post in the board as he wanted to continue being a commentator.
Mr Sethi, our cricket is already facing tough challenges on several fronts and such unnecessary controversy is an insult added to injury. We hope that soon you will make a choice between the PCB chairmanship and playing an anchor on TV.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2013.