Citizen-friendly media: Speakers for ethics, role of journalists in discussions
Quality of news should not be compromised in competition.
Quality of news should not be compromised in competition. DESIGN: SUNARA NIZAMI
Media practitioners were of the consensus opinion at a workshop that the electronic media has shown exponential and an unimpeded growth, ever-since its liberalisation at the start of the new century.
However, this growth has often been questioned for lack of journalistic ethics, with some practitioners holding responsible the media’s increasing dependence on corporate entities.
These issues were brought to the fore at the workshop on “Free, Independent and Responsible Media (FIRM) on Electronic Media”, arranged by Individual-land (IL) in collaboration with Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) and the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) here the other day, said a press release.
“In the rat race of breaking news, contending media houses end up compromising the quality of news,” they said.
Moreover, sensationalising the news by adding dramatic background music to broadcasts, as well as anchorpersons upholding stances partial to a certain narrative to boost programme ratings also lead to degradation in quality.
During his opening remarks, Shaukat Ali Ashraf from IL said, the media growing day by day. In order to make media houses more citizen-friendly, journalists should be engaged to discuss their issues.
“Workshops provide an opportunity to the journalists to discuss their professional issues and seek a way out,” stated RIUJ secretary general Bilal Dar.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt, commended the efforts in organising the workshop.
Over 45 participants attended the workshop.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 10th, 2014.