Media sensation decaying social values | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Media sensation decaying social values

KARACHI – The recent wave of suicide bombing and the daily debate over ruthless deaths have psychologically distressed the people.

The recent wave of the suicide bombing across the country has created panic among citizens and apprehension of being targeted.

The citizens along with law enforcement personnel are avoiding close contact to any suspicious man.
Chairman Department of Psychology University of Karachi Professor Haider Rizvi while talking to The Nation said that an alarming situation had risen after the suicide bombing and debate over killings had started across the country.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)- a psychological terminology defines the current environment. The citizens are passing through learning helplessness from the environment.

He added that learning through different television channels and flashback of media coverage of blood-spattered scenes would be catastrophic for common citizens.
The media coverage of bloodbaths had affected human minds, especially children, he said, adding that if this situation went longer the society would change into a voiceless society.

A journalist citing his experience of covering the US consulate suicide bomb blasts said, “I confidently covered the event and saw mutilated body parts. When I finished my work and moved to home, the scene flashed automatically in my mind again and again although I tried many times to throw away my memories because I could not sleep properly”.
“I was in traumatic condition when I felt a woman headless, handless, and legless and I could not come out of this situation even after a week.”

An observer said the role of media and race of “Breaking News” among the television channels tried to supersede each other. A massage usually appears on the screen of TV which the warm-hearted viewers avoid to watch.”

He added the recent coverage of Islamabad and Hub bomb blasts where media could get the access for coverage and showed horrifying scenes gave an impression of robot a society. A citizen expressed that the media footages of bomb blasts were extremely indifferent and totally unethical.

The dead bodies and human body parts lying around were broadcasted live in the name of freedom of media. Many victims were half naked and soaked in blood which was a horrible sight. She further added that media was a powerful source of information but its role to create sensation was unacceptable.

She urged that there was dire need to minimize propaganda by the media.In present condition the media should stick to mature and sensitive coverings.

The coverage of bloodbath with human organs on crime scene would create worsening mental condition. Flashback of media coverage have rather been creating the worst impacts on the minds of children as they have become robot not feeling worth of a human life in future.
Source: The Nation
Date:7/22/2007