‘Media should focus on social issues’

Speakers at a seminar stress need for media to act responsibly

LAHORE: Media needs a mechanism for accountability and professional guidelines which can keep it within the confines of laws governing the media, speakers at a seminar at the Punjab University Institute of Communication Studies said on Thursday

The seminar on the Role of Media in the Current National Scenario was held in collaboration with the Pakistan National Forum.

Senator SM Zafar, Dr Mujahid Mansoori, Salman Ghani, Dr Ajmal Niazi, Attaur Rehman, Mian Habibullah, Col (r) Ikramullah and Air Marshal (r) Anwar Mehmood Khan spoke at the event.

Senator Zafar said it was unfortunate that the media’s focus had shifted away from pressing social issues like population growth.

Dr Mansoori said it was admirable that the media had helped create awareness about VIP culture and class distinctions in society. “It is imperative that media regulate and check itself.”

Journalist Salman Ghani said instead of focusing only on protest demonstrations in Islamabad, the media must play an impartial role to counter challenges in a positive way.

PU ICS In-charge Director Dr Noshina Saleem said the race to break news first and air sensational stories for the sake of ratings was what had damaged electronic media’s credibility and image.

Mian Habibullah, an Urdu newspaper editor, said the country was going through turbulent times; the issues of floods and internally displaced persons should have captured the media’s attention.

Pakistan National Forum President Col (r) Ikramullah said media, for the most part, had stayed true to its duty of raising awareness regarding issues of the economy, poverty and other various social ills.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2014.