Ethics flouted by media groups

ISLAMABAD: Contrary to established journalistic norms, some media groups blacked out the news of the first official statement of Hamid Mir after an assassination attempt on him.

While the media did cover the actual story of the attack on Hamid Mir but on Thursday, for reasons best known to them, they hesitated in airing the statement that gave credence to the earlier news item aired by Geo, which had invited the wrath of some so-called anchors and even media groups.

Geo was the only channel that gave live coverage to Amir Mir who read out the statement of his injured brother outside the Karachi hospital.At a time when Amir Mir was reading out the first statement of Hamid Mir, other TV channels were running routine transmissions and no one was covering it live. Even the social media pointed out this fact that no other channel had covered the first official statement of Hamid Mir and most of the people even stressed showing unity among the media groups.

Although, almost all channels gave no coverage to Hamid Mir’s statement yet when it was pointed out by Geo and Jang Group and by others on the social media and other platforms, then other TV channels held talk shows on the issue yet no news was aired.

Interestingly, some media organisations criticised Geo and Jang Group and blamed that the group had set all media ethics aside during the whole episode of attack on Hamid Mir. But they forgot the fact that even the rest of the media also played a negative role and did not follow media ethics, a thing which they preached even throughout their bulletins.

Instead of playing a role to cool down the situation, these media groups and even senior journalists, anchorpersons and columnists ganged up against the Jang Group. The whole episode of attack on Hamid Mir is being played by the anti-Geo and Jang Group as a tool to add fuel to the fire by spreading conspiracy theories, so that the issue may not die down. Meanwhile, recalling Pervez Musharraf’s counsel Ahmed Raza Kasuri who would often exclaim, “shame, shame, shame,” journalists and intellectuals were heard saying “shame on you” at the vilification against Jang and Geo. These channels, it was observed, often invite journalists who have poisonous angling and perception of facts, and that is why they are far behind in rating.

A few journalists who openly associate themselves with the establishment are labeling the journalists questioning the role of rogue elements in the spy agency as traitors, have forgotten the fact that the role of intelligence agencies in many cases, including the missing persons cases, has already been questioned.

Not only their role has been questioned, but also the courts have summoned the heads of these agencies. At that time nobody ran any campaign for protecting the institutions and issued any certificates of patriotism and loyalty.

After observing the media trend during the last three days, particularly after the attack on Hamid Mir, one can clearly suggest that some media groups have ganged up against Geo and Jang Group out of jealousy or patriotism or any other reason known to them.

The Pakistani media, which is in the phase of evolution, has even committed mistakes but these mistakes provide opportunities to learn. In the recent past, almost every TV channel displayed the pictures of many top politicians in fake degree cases and many other issues as well.

However, the politicians never termed the media organisations or their management traitors. But displaying the picture of a general who has been accused in an incident in which a person was attacked and had almost lost his life is considered treason.