Is there anything called 'authentic' journalism ?
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Ameer Hamza
There can be no disagreement with the view that newspapers have a role to play in nation-building, and to do that, in the best interest of the public, they must be as objective as possible, regardless of their political and commercial preferences. In the same vein, news-gatherers too are often advised or urged to tell nothing but the truth, calling for the utmost professional integrity rather than this or that bias.
That's a very tall order. In times like these when even a free lunch can feed 'news' to newspapers, how can one hope true objectivity would not be compromised ? deplored a senior reporter, in the course of a tete-a-tete on the state of journalism in Bangladesh. She was unwilling to be charitable about 'greedy hacks' who would swallow anything, and do so without so much as verifiying the fundamentals --- the who,what,why,where and how of the story.
Can there be anything called 'authentic' at all in mainstream media these days when a little food and booze can influence reporting ? Her frustration is understandable, given the fact that some CIPs (commercially important people) have also been heard making claims that some so-called journalists would not 'cover' CIP events unless food is served at those events ! That is unfortunate 'character assassination' of the entire profession for the gluttony and obsequiousness of a few foolish brethren ! But to be fair, one would have thought it was 'normal' to serve refreshments or meals at most public relations (PR) exercises. And why should journalists alone be singled out for criticism if they enjoy the tea and toast or tehari at such events, and then file reports --- if they are newsworthy ? The unethical thing to do would be to embellish un-newsworthy events in exchange for 'gifts' in cash or kind.
Be that as it may, one doesn't have to be an intellectual to understand that professional integrity is an imperative, if we really mean to establish a credible Fourth Estate in any democracy, more so in a fledgling one like Bangladesh. But how do we go about encouraging accountable journalism in a socio-economic milieu like ours where the general political mindset is lagging far behind what the world understands as democratic culture ? We seem to be mired in a perpetually puerile understanding of democracy as meaning no more than an election festival where people express allegiance to the local big brother/sister or godfather/godmother.
Politically we seem to be suffering from a kind of 'arrested adolescence' and it is permeating the entire body politic. Understandably, journalists working for a living rather than a mission, end up in the same mire, caring less for professional integrity than for job security and political- commercial patronage. How can authentic journalism ever be established when the professional community itself is fiercely divided and refuses to let professional integrity dominate the news, views and commentaries they offer to the public ?
But then, it is a bit too much to expect ordinary journalists to be able to rise above the dictates and compulsions of the newspaper owners/editors themselves. Some of the latter have been found to be waging turf wars, running stories with the intention of hurting adversaries, instead of serving public interest. Then there is the usual protection of the 'life-blood' of the newspaper business ---- advertisements ---- which influence owners to limit and censure their reporters' forays into company-critical news reports. The press therefore can never really be free as long as it is tied to 'Capital', according to Johan Galtung of Stockholm's Peace Research Institute, with whom this scribe had had an opportunity to interact over a decade ago.
Even then, we have had quite a number of fearless newshounds making honest journalists proud. At least two of them have been liquidated altogether in recent years simply because they were committed to reporting the truth. Way back in 2001, Tipu, a young UNB reporter, had his limbs crushed by the goons of one lawless legislator of Feni, Joynal Hazari , because Tipu had reported on his misdeeds. Many such hazards await the growing number of journalists of integrity in Bangladesh. The afore-mentioned old-timer, therefore ought to take heart. The gutter and greedy press may soon be passé.
There can be no disagreement with the view that newspapers have a role to play in nation-building, and to do that, in the best interest of the public, they must be as objective as possible, regardless of their political and commercial preferences. In the same vein, news-gatherers too are often advised or urged to tell nothing but the truth, calling for the utmost professional integrity rather than this or that bias.
That's a very tall order. In times like these when even a free lunch can feed 'news' to newspapers, how can one hope true objectivity would not be compromised ? deplored a senior reporter, in the course of a tete-a-tete on the state of journalism in Bangladesh. She was unwilling to be charitable about 'greedy hacks' who would swallow anything, and do so without so much as verifiying the fundamentals --- the who,what,why,where and how of the story.
Can there be anything called 'authentic' at all in mainstream media these days when a little food and booze can influence reporting ? Her frustration is understandable, given the fact that some CIPs (commercially important people) have also been heard making claims that some so-called journalists would not 'cover' CIP events unless food is served at those events ! That is unfortunate 'character assassination' of the entire profession for the gluttony and obsequiousness of a few foolish brethren ! But to be fair, one would have thought it was 'normal' to serve refreshments or meals at most public relations (PR) exercises. And why should journalists alone be singled out for criticism if they enjoy the tea and toast or tehari at such events, and then file reports --- if they are newsworthy ? The unethical thing to do would be to embellish un-newsworthy events in exchange for 'gifts' in cash or kind.
Be that as it may, one doesn't have to be an intellectual to understand that professional integrity is an imperative, if we really mean to establish a credible Fourth Estate in any democracy, more so in a fledgling one like Bangladesh. But how do we go about encouraging accountable journalism in a socio-economic milieu like ours where the general political mindset is lagging far behind what the world understands as democratic culture ? We seem to be mired in a perpetually puerile understanding of democracy as meaning no more than an election festival where people express allegiance to the local big brother/sister or godfather/godmother.
Politically we seem to be suffering from a kind of 'arrested adolescence' and it is permeating the entire body politic. Understandably, journalists working for a living rather than a mission, end up in the same mire, caring less for professional integrity than for job security and political- commercial patronage. How can authentic journalism ever be established when the professional community itself is fiercely divided and refuses to let professional integrity dominate the news, views and commentaries they offer to the public ?
But then, it is a bit too much to expect ordinary journalists to be able to rise above the dictates and compulsions of the newspaper owners/editors themselves. Some of the latter have been found to be waging turf wars, running stories with the intention of hurting adversaries, instead of serving public interest. Then there is the usual protection of the 'life-blood' of the newspaper business ---- advertisements ---- which influence owners to limit and censure their reporters' forays into company-critical news reports. The press therefore can never really be free as long as it is tied to 'Capital', according to Johan Galtung of Stockholm's Peace Research Institute, with whom this scribe had had an opportunity to interact over a decade ago.
Even then, we have had quite a number of fearless newshounds making honest journalists proud. At least two of them have been liquidated altogether in recent years simply because they were committed to reporting the truth. Way back in 2001, Tipu, a young UNB reporter, had his limbs crushed by the goons of one lawless legislator of Feni, Joynal Hazari , because Tipu had reported on his misdeeds. Many such hazards await the growing number of journalists of integrity in Bangladesh. The afore-mentioned old-timer, therefore ought to take heart. The gutter and greedy press may soon be passé.