The New York based Committee to Protect Journalists has issued a list of 14 countries where violence against the press often goes unsolved and unpunished. The list includes Sri Lanka , Pakistan , Iraq , Brazil , Sierra, Leone , Colombia , Afghanistan , Nepal , Russia , Mexico , Bangladesh and India . In recent years a wave of brutal attacks on journalists have been turning into flood gates claiming the lives of media persons n press freedom barring the free flow of genuine information…but an ironical shocking fact is biased ness unbridled freedom, and obnoxious policies of media creating a chaos n havoc out of misinformation esp. the print media
Media, both the electronic n print, is one of the pillars of nation. Its role as didactic guidance, critic, educator, informer and torch bearer of revolts n revolution is widely discussed n unanimously accepted. World celebrates the Press Freedom Day, strive for n ensure the constructive role of media along with the safety of journalists. But on the other hand no one can deny the sensationalization; commercialization n certain interests tracking policies in Media. No doubt some journalists or channels do play puppets for the vested interest of some bigwigs and most importantly what media is accustomed to do frantically while reporting on terror n contributes in blame game (Mumbai attacks is fresh example among many others ). Question is to what extent media can or should enjoy freedom n partiality ,in what ways media is catering to & is changing ideologies .Question is whether our media is state-run, controlled or autonomous or, most apt for some channels, unbridled having no media ethics or policies.
Media in Pakistan with few exceptions, like so many other countries, is up against the ropes fighting to stay alive, truthful n impartial tackling the pressures…Questions about media’s impartiality or biased ness, as a helpless puppet or a tool at the hands with vested interests offering some bounty is a debatable issue… In recent years so many channels have emerged in Pakistan like mushrooms in jungle. People in world are talking about the dimensions of global media. They are well aware of the fact that the issues that are common to the region like poverty, terrorism, mutual trade n co-operation etc, should b discussed from all the forums for bilateral solutions sharing the ideas information & resources. But we are lingering behind in the unity of all the local channels at a “truth for truth’s sake” platform under national flag for grand causes. In the intra-channels competition n jingoism (taken for media-war) of breaking the news first, no one cares about the truth, confirm the sources or tally the statistics especially in reporting terrorism. Why can’t they share the information especially while dealing national crisis or issues? But the situation is quite ironical n cynical. Turn on the channels for some analysis or live debate programs on the same particular issue, after some days one can clearly guess the favoritism of the channels plus that who is supporting whom where even live programs smell to be scripted following certain instructions . They present a strange inter-twined mixture of freedom and pressures or suppressions. Healthy competitions n financial gains cant be ignored but not at the cost of patriotism or truth.
Such channels may suddenly change the stance and favoritism after giving the picture and aspects of a particular issue as totally black blaming the other party .They convince people thoroughly that its all about truth but end up justifying the same over shadowed party. Media so easily can distort the facts under some pressures or at some vested interests. Laal Mosque incident is the worst example of such rolling stone type reporting.
In election seasons media personals n channels act as Greek gods n goddesses taking the fortune n reputation of the leaders in their hands by hair-split policies. Pakistan and world’s best analysts are still foreboding Obama’s success as a gateway to world’s peace and revolutions. Elections in America between White and Black presidential candidate has been media’s favorite hype, showing illusionary pictures.
In this media game of following truth or purely hope and hatred, people get carried away n share the aspirations with the prides or prejudices, facts or fantasies, personal or impersonal analysis of situations, represented by the analysts, gate-keepers or watch dogs of media and dreamt of peaceful sovereign Pakistan with free will for autonomous decision but since Obama’s holding office, nothing is dramatically changed although Israel exploited the chances to Sabotages Hamas and attacked Palestine, but America will take time to get rid of Jewish Lobby. Similarly violation of Pakistani borders, threats to attack in peruse of Osama and Drone attacks are getting intense taking new dimension despite Pakistan’s plea as front line ally in war against terror, Drone attacks are claiming the lives of innocent citizens and to worsen the situation it is also detracting peace process with the extremist, making country a terrorism stricken state by state and non state actors. Is it not violation of at least Geneva Convention if not of the sovereignty of Pakistan but where are our policies?
what we are doing as responsible loyal nationals and most aptly what our leaders are doing and how our TV channels are helping to nip the evil in the bud and to uproot the terrorism, extremism at a stimulus, root level in a country ; where elected leaders remain entangled in the politics of leadership, where poverty and death dances over the heads of people where corruption, exploitation, lawlessness and equal access to resources justify might is right and only right accepted is might, where Friday sermons air ethnicity, books promote extremism, clerics interprets Shariah and Sunnah to suit their own vested interests, where every insignificant group violently raise the voice to have wishful Islam and after turning a civilized society into jungle, relax in no go areas or amours to set peace ablaze in some other region, where police asks protection from extremists and Chief Justice marches for justice and to worsen the situations where some of the tools of social reform and change i.e. media and policy makers are ignorant & selfishly benumbed frantically
Media shows regularly the reports on crime but seldom a report of punishment or of punitive consequences of that crime. This way media is contributing to the increment in crimes where people knowing the status of law n order think it easy to commit crimes n stay escaped especially in the abduction n abuse cases reporting. The condition of newspapers, in this regard, presenting picturesque n spicy details is really pathetic. But how can a sympathetic n concerned persons show the names n faces of such defiled women n children that too some times intruding privacies n without permission
Media should not give inapt coverage to the harassing, terrorism news. to unfold the truth at best n apt time with full proof should b mode of media instead racing for breaking news n harassing the people n country’s stock exchange by engineering facts n statistics...some times ignorance is blessing n why should our media propagate Pakistan as hell n terrorist hub that too before countries with much higher violence n corruption rate & record but their media at least on international viewer ship never propagate all these....
Some truths especially the national one need proper course of time n mechanism to be revealed but no one cares n starts presenting the distorted facts n figures. (eg:a statement on Ajmal Qasab’s nationality as Pakistani). Then the plotters across the border use such info n raw facts to serve their malignant purposes. One cant find such reporting in western countries...It’s due to our Media’ reckless reporting on terror n extremism that world is inclined to think every Pakistani as terrorist n believe Pakistan as a “lawless jungle.
Media has the power to set the trends and choices; it can turn an effort into a movement or can ignore a grand cause, media can shock the sensibilities or it can sensitize the audience but real trend setter should be the mass. if something wrong is being done people should stop watching such program rejecting the fanciful so by lowering the TRP, that embellished program will b failed, an easy way to use the powers without turning into violent protests. But for this people should b aware of the facts n conspiracies feeling a national cause n dire need of unity. It is time to pierce deep down the fact, to reach the real kernel of truth. Freedom without boundaries is chaotic n anarchic. Press freedom or any other freedom does imply some Ethics, rules n regulations chalking down the extremes. Similarly government should guide n educate media but without any suppression or controlling the freedom of expression.
Media has been pointing the flaws in government’s policies, but where are its own policies, who make or guide them???
