The fourth estate
During the current political crisis we have not censored what one side said to the other and it should be appreciated.
It is very easy to blame the media for the ongoing political situation. We are reminded time and again what a negative role the media has played in this crisis.
With its breaking news and un-ending live coverage, now even more invasive with drone technology, the media is blamed for creating hype where there should be none. Some even say that were it not for the media, the situation would not have reached where it is today. Not only are we accused of prolonging a crisis but also of creating one. You give us too much credit.
We are told that the media sensationalises. It also misreports and misrepresents. It takes sides. And worse, it misleads. Some of my friends have said that they have stopped watching television news and current affairs programmes and it has helped them lead saner and less worrisome lives. Good for them. But is ignorance bliss?
Some say that as Pakistanis we are fascinated by news. We are a nation that has as many opinions as we have people. And that everyone wants to have themselves heard. This confusion and chaos is what the media thrives on.
Others, including many who live out of the country, blame the media for highlighting all that is wrong with Pakistan. They press us not to highlight what is negative and to focus on all that is good in the country. We cannot work on the agenda of others. We report what we see.
Possibly part of the problem is the expectations that people have from us. Let us start with that. Many do not want us to report the crime, violence and corruption that had engulfed our country. They want us to focus on the “positive elements.”
I remember the killing of the principal of the Swedish Technical Institute in Karachi in the early 90’s. I recall how one paper covered the incident by putting the picture of the corpse on its front page. The decision was taken by editor Ghazi Salahuddin and he was criticized for it.
The paper’s rival would never have done so as it would upset its readers at breakfast. Ghazi Salahuddin’s take: tell it like it is. Show the people what is happening. Only then will they wake up to reality.
People get upset when we tell it like it is. The only problem is that when such people become victims of the same crime, violence or corruption that they want us not to report, they come to us to highlight it. The expectations do not end there.
Let us look at the dual standards as well. Indian soaps and movies are the most watched TV shows by far in Pakistan. But if the same are brought through our media, then we will attack the channel for highlighting what is against our culture.
When we write about people or organizations, the subjects expect us to write good things. If we don’t, we are accused of having an agenda, of being on the payroll of some agency or simply indulging in yellow journalism. When we ask for the version of a person or organization we are writing about, we sometimes don’t get it. But the next day, the same person or organization accuses us of being one-sided.
Some criticise the media trying to talk down to the people. The media, they say, cannot decide for us what to watch or read. Fair enough. But when the same media airs programmes that appeal to the lowest common denominator, people are up in arms. They say we are airing trash.
When I sometimes mention that the media in Pakistan is one of the freest in the region, many look at me as if I have gone mad. It is one of the most dangerous places to work. The number of journalists killed, kidnapped, threatened, tortured or harassed is one of the highest in the world. That is true but that is because of the work they do and not the other way round.
We have a vibrant media and we should be proud of it. During the current political crisis we have reported as it is. We have not censored what one side said to the other. This kind of freedom should be appreciated. Also some recognition should be given to the people who make this happen.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2014.
With its breaking news and un-ending live coverage, now even more invasive with drone technology, the media is blamed for creating hype where there should be none. Some even say that were it not for the media, the situation would not have reached where it is today. Not only are we accused of prolonging a crisis but also of creating one. You give us too much credit.
We are told that the media sensationalises. It also misreports and misrepresents. It takes sides. And worse, it misleads. Some of my friends have said that they have stopped watching television news and current affairs programmes and it has helped them lead saner and less worrisome lives. Good for them. But is ignorance bliss?
Some say that as Pakistanis we are fascinated by news. We are a nation that has as many opinions as we have people. And that everyone wants to have themselves heard. This confusion and chaos is what the media thrives on.
Others, including many who live out of the country, blame the media for highlighting all that is wrong with Pakistan. They press us not to highlight what is negative and to focus on all that is good in the country. We cannot work on the agenda of others. We report what we see.
Possibly part of the problem is the expectations that people have from us. Let us start with that. Many do not want us to report the crime, violence and corruption that had engulfed our country. They want us to focus on the “positive elements.”
I remember the killing of the principal of the Swedish Technical Institute in Karachi in the early 90’s. I recall how one paper covered the incident by putting the picture of the corpse on its front page. The decision was taken by editor Ghazi Salahuddin and he was criticized for it.
The paper’s rival would never have done so as it would upset its readers at breakfast. Ghazi Salahuddin’s take: tell it like it is. Show the people what is happening. Only then will they wake up to reality.
People get upset when we tell it like it is. The only problem is that when such people become victims of the same crime, violence or corruption that they want us not to report, they come to us to highlight it. The expectations do not end there.
Let us look at the dual standards as well. Indian soaps and movies are the most watched TV shows by far in Pakistan. But if the same are brought through our media, then we will attack the channel for highlighting what is against our culture.
When we write about people or organizations, the subjects expect us to write good things. If we don’t, we are accused of having an agenda, of being on the payroll of some agency or simply indulging in yellow journalism. When we ask for the version of a person or organization we are writing about, we sometimes don’t get it. But the next day, the same person or organization accuses us of being one-sided.
Some criticise the media trying to talk down to the people. The media, they say, cannot decide for us what to watch or read. Fair enough. But when the same media airs programmes that appeal to the lowest common denominator, people are up in arms. They say we are airing trash.
When I sometimes mention that the media in Pakistan is one of the freest in the region, many look at me as if I have gone mad. It is one of the most dangerous places to work. The number of journalists killed, kidnapped, threatened, tortured or harassed is one of the highest in the world. That is true but that is because of the work they do and not the other way round.
We have a vibrant media and we should be proud of it. During the current political crisis we have reported as it is. We have not censored what one side said to the other. This kind of freedom should be appreciated. Also some recognition should be given to the people who make this happen.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2014.