Yellow journalism
IN 1898 newspapers provided the major source of news in America. At that time, it was common practice for a newspaper to report the editor’s interpretation of the news rather than objective journalism.
If the information reported was inaccurate or biased, the American public had little means for verification. With this sort of influence, the newspapers wielded much political power.
In order to increase circulation, the publishers of these papers often exploited their positions by sponsoring a flamboyant and irresponsible approach to news reporting that became known as ‘yellow journalism’.
In this backdrop, it has been quite disturbing to witness and observe the role of Pakistani electronic media throughout its handling or reporting of two extremely sensitive issues: (a) Presidential reference against CJ and (b) the Lal Mosque and Jamia Hafsa, which could be termed the most famous episode of Yellow Journalism in Pakistan.
The way Pakistani electronic media projected the two issues reminds the journalist fraternity of the worst form of Yellow Journalism experienced by the US and rest of the world during the period 1895—1897, when circulation battle between Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal originated. Both papers were accused of extremely sensational news in order to drive up circulation. Pulitzer and Hearst are often blamed for drawing the nation into the Spanish— American War with sensational stories or outright lying.
Pulitzer believed that news papers were public institutions with a duty to improve society, and he put the World in the service of social reform. Just within two years the World became the highest circulating news paper.
The use of ‘yellow journalism’ as a synonym for over the top sensationalism in the US apparently started with more serious newspapers commenting on the excesses of the ‘Yellow Kid Papers’
I would like to present a comparison between the yellow journalism experienced some 110 years ago in the United States and the dark yellow Journalism currently being witnessed in Pakistan for your true and sincere self-assessment.
Intentions and objectives of today’s Pakistani private electronic media are not different from what Pulitzer and Hearst had 110 years ago, where our electronic media has indulged itself into a war for enhanced viewership, with the result that all TV discussions, criticism, interviews, documentaries and stories are aimed at tarnishing the image of the present government, not recognising the fact that they put the country’s ideology on stake as well in the process.
The role of media, in case of the Lal Mosque, remained a question mark for the whole nation, while the position it took before, during and post-military operation left many confused, as is obvious from the following:
The government has miserably failed in establishing its writ in Islamabad
On the contrary, none of the private TV channels condemned the aggressive behaviour of Abdul Rashid Ghazi and his associates, nor they tried to mend the opinion of general public in favour of government action.
The TV channels, supportive of Islami Nizam, must keep the degree of the press and media freedom being offered in Saudi Arabia in front, where no media person is allowed to scream at the top of his voice “ Kal kaya honey ko hey” , “Naye waqiat janam layno ko hein.” To what extent the KSA shared information with its public or media concerning killings in Khana-i- Kaaba in 1979?
The media, therefore, must understand that when it comes to establishing the government’s writ it has to take an opposite action, no matter how weak the government is or no matter how big the casualty number is. Nor it is possible for any democratic government to develop a consensus on each and every issue as the media may think or desire.
In the light of the above, the media should rise above to play its due role by drawing the boundaries for a balanced coverage of issues falling under the definition of journalism; and implementing a code of conduct and ethics for all forms and types of journalism.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/28/2007
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