By refusing to seriously address issues of accountability and responsibility, news media organisations are in danger of losing the public’s goodwill, writes Zohra Yusuf.
Every time some reporting in the media attacks the sensitivities of the public, there is an outcry and demand for greater media responsibility. However, soon it is business as usual. Some months back, five private television channels agreed not to broadcast gory images of suicide bombings and killings. But with no monitoring system in place, there is really no way of confirming adherence to this self-imposed code. In August 2008, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) had also drawn up a 21-point code of ethics in an attempt to ensure fair reporting. The proposed PFUJ code, apart from placing certain restrictions on coverage of terrorism, also broadened the scope to cover issues of reporting about women, children, survivors of violence, etc. For example, one of the clauses stipulated that:
‘A journalist shall not identify or photograph minor children, infants who are the offspring of sexual abuse, forcible marriage or illicit sexual union, or where they are victims of trafficking or forcible drafting into conflict.’
It is regrettable that neither the PFUJ or the professional bodies and newspaper editors it circulated the document to for comments contributed to the debate meaningfully or took it forward. This initiative provided the only serious and viable attempt at enforcing a code that would be overseen by media professionals themselves through a Media Complaints Commission, rather than any government appointed regulatory body. It proposed:
‘…credible and effective peer accountability through self-regulation by journalists and media professionals that will promote editorial independence and high standards of accuracy, reliability and quality in media.’
Accountability was not even an issue when the media did not enjoy the kind of freedom it does today. Created and controlled by a succession of dictatorships, the electronic media, in particular, was not exactly known for credibility. Great hopes were, therefore, pinned on it when the media was freed and private channels began to mushroom. No longer shackled to a single channel system, Pakistanis were overwhelmed by the content of the news broadcast and critical views expressed on the fast multiplying private channels. The honeymoon between audiences and the media, however, proved to be short lived.
As the country plunged from one crisis to another, the ugly face of competition and ratings took precedence over responsible reporting. This was, perhaps, first demonstrated during the army siege of the Red Mosque in Islamabad. While the battle raged between the soldiers and the armed militants holed up inside the mosque, the tenor of the non-stop live reporting left many wondering where the news anchors sympathies lay. Since then the position of most channels vis-à-vis religious militancy has become increasingly blurred.
In the recent past, there have been several prominent instances where a section of the media has shown gross irresponsibility. In October 2010, an unsubstantiated report was put out by a couple of channels claiming that the government was going to withdraw the order restoring the superior judiciary. The consequences, as expected, were alarming, leading to a crisis-like situation in the Federal Capital. The judges of the Supreme Court went into a late night sitting to assess the situation and ordered an inquiry into the origin of the ‘news’. A committee of media representatives set up to investigate the issue concluded that the news was unverified and speculative.
The latest scandal to rock a section of the media was the fake version of WikiLeaks. Apparently, ‘planted’ online by some dubious sources, the so-called leaks were picked up and printed by several major newspapers and became ‘breaking news’ for quite a few television channels. None of the editors or senior journalists associated with the publications or channels took the trouble of checking the authenticity of the leaks that were primarily aimed at defaming the Indian army. A simple search of the websites of the newspapers, such as The Guardian and The New York Times, which had access to the US diplomatic cables would have done the job of verification.
The fact that a significant section of the media succumbed to the lure of this plant also indicates a deeper problem with online sources of news. With the web becoming somewhat of a news factory, it is all the more important for editors to verify and cross check facts before putting them out as news. A similar situation arises with the newly introduced concept of ‘citizen journalist’. While it may democratise the media by making anyone with an observant eye and a camera a journalist, the ultimate responsibility must lie with the newspaper publishing the news item or the television channel broadcasting it.
The rush to print or to broadcast has turned the idea of ‘breaking news’ into a bit of a farce. When almost every news item is presented as such, viewers know that little effort has been made to verify facts. The rapid growth of the media, including print, has brought into the profession many people with inadequate training (even on-the-job mentoring seems to be absent) and lacking depth of knowledge about issues they frequently present on the media. The freedom of the media was welcomed by Pakistanis as a breath of fresh air. However, the unprofessional and haphazard development is losing the media the goodwill of many. Judging by opinions expressed in newspaper columns and online, the demand for media accountability is growing.
The answer to instilling responsibility in the media does not lie in any form of government control or oversight. The days of censorship should be firmly behind us. There are many workable and proven structures and systems of media monitoring and complaints commission available. It is the will that is needed and the consensus among media organisations not only to acknowledge the issue of accountability but to work towards setting in place corrective systems. The Express Tribune has done well to announce the appointment of Justice (Retired) Farkruddin G. Ebrahim as an ombudsman for the newspaper. In fact, it published all his contact details as well, encouraging readers to send their complaints to him. However, a solo effort by a small newspaper will have little impact unless major news organisations make a similar joint commitment.
Zohra Yusuf is Creative Director, Spectrum Y&R
First published in the Jan-Feb 2011 issue of Aurora.
‘A journalist shall not identify or photograph minor children, infants who are the offspring of sexual abuse, forcible marriage or illicit sexual union, or where they are victims of trafficking or forcible drafting into conflict.’
It is regrettable that neither the PFUJ or the professional bodies and newspaper editors it circulated the document to for comments contributed to the debate meaningfully or took it forward. This initiative provided the only serious and viable attempt at enforcing a code that would be overseen by media professionals themselves through a Media Complaints Commission, rather than any government appointed regulatory body. It proposed:
‘…credible and effective peer accountability through self-regulation by journalists and media professionals that will promote editorial independence and high standards of accuracy, reliability and quality in media.’
Accountability was not even an issue when the media did not enjoy the kind of freedom it does today. Created and controlled by a succession of dictatorships, the electronic media, in particular, was not exactly known for credibility. Great hopes were, therefore, pinned on it when the media was freed and private channels began to mushroom. No longer shackled to a single channel system, Pakistanis were overwhelmed by the content of the news broadcast and critical views expressed on the fast multiplying private channels. The honeymoon between audiences and the media, however, proved to be short lived.
As the country plunged from one crisis to another, the ugly face of competition and ratings took precedence over responsible reporting. This was, perhaps, first demonstrated during the army siege of the Red Mosque in Islamabad. While the battle raged between the soldiers and the armed militants holed up inside the mosque, the tenor of the non-stop live reporting left many wondering where the news anchors sympathies lay. Since then the position of most channels vis-à-vis religious militancy has become increasingly blurred.
In the recent past, there have been several prominent instances where a section of the media has shown gross irresponsibility. In October 2010, an unsubstantiated report was put out by a couple of channels claiming that the government was going to withdraw the order restoring the superior judiciary. The consequences, as expected, were alarming, leading to a crisis-like situation in the Federal Capital. The judges of the Supreme Court went into a late night sitting to assess the situation and ordered an inquiry into the origin of the ‘news’. A committee of media representatives set up to investigate the issue concluded that the news was unverified and speculative.
The latest scandal to rock a section of the media was the fake version of WikiLeaks. Apparently, ‘planted’ online by some dubious sources, the so-called leaks were picked up and printed by several major newspapers and became ‘breaking news’ for quite a few television channels. None of the editors or senior journalists associated with the publications or channels took the trouble of checking the authenticity of the leaks that were primarily aimed at defaming the Indian army. A simple search of the websites of the newspapers, such as The Guardian and The New York Times, which had access to the US diplomatic cables would have done the job of verification.
The fact that a significant section of the media succumbed to the lure of this plant also indicates a deeper problem with online sources of news. With the web becoming somewhat of a news factory, it is all the more important for editors to verify and cross check facts before putting them out as news. A similar situation arises with the newly introduced concept of ‘citizen journalist’. While it may democratise the media by making anyone with an observant eye and a camera a journalist, the ultimate responsibility must lie with the newspaper publishing the news item or the television channel broadcasting it.
The rush to print or to broadcast has turned the idea of ‘breaking news’ into a bit of a farce. When almost every news item is presented as such, viewers know that little effort has been made to verify facts. The rapid growth of the media, including print, has brought into the profession many people with inadequate training (even on-the-job mentoring seems to be absent) and lacking depth of knowledge about issues they frequently present on the media. The freedom of the media was welcomed by Pakistanis as a breath of fresh air. However, the unprofessional and haphazard development is losing the media the goodwill of many. Judging by opinions expressed in newspaper columns and online, the demand for media accountability is growing.
The answer to instilling responsibility in the media does not lie in any form of government control or oversight. The days of censorship should be firmly behind us. There are many workable and proven structures and systems of media monitoring and complaints commission available. It is the will that is needed and the consensus among media organisations not only to acknowledge the issue of accountability but to work towards setting in place corrective systems. The Express Tribune has done well to announce the appointment of Justice (Retired) Farkruddin G. Ebrahim as an ombudsman for the newspaper. In fact, it published all his contact details as well, encouraging readers to send their complaints to him. However, a solo effort by a small newspaper will have little impact unless major news organisations make a similar joint commitment.
Zohra Yusuf is Creative Director, Spectrum Y&R
First published in the Jan-Feb 2011 issue of Aurora.
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