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.
