Role and Ethics of Pakistani Media
Media has become double edged sword for a society while it has the power to shape and reshape public opinions. Media has been playing very effective role since its inception, with the passage of time gained extraordinary power. It can influence and change the beliefs, norms and the structure of a society. Current technologies have extraordinary amplified the power and utility of the mass media and at the same time have put huge pressure on media scholars to rethink and redefine the guidelines of ethics for media practitioners. Media can form the public opinion from one point to another.
Media has vital compulsion towards the society as it has to inform, to educate and to entertain but it has been working as opinion maker more than else. It can change a hero to villain and a villain to hero. There are some ethics that media has to follow according to the society’s norms. These ethics are not the written rules that state promulgates but the sense of responsibility make media to follow them. Every society has its own norms that cannot be implemented on others so media has to follow different norms in different societies.
Pakistan is an Islamic state and Islam asks to reduce harm and promote harmony in society. According to the PEMRA rules, Programmes must not be directed against the sanctity of home, family and marital harmony. Pakistani media supposed to play its part according to this rule but a one can easily see contrary reality of its performance. Like many broader ethical systems, journalism ethics include the principle of limitation of harm. This often involves the withholding of certain details from reports such as the names of minor children, crime victims’ names or information not materially related to particular news reports release of which might, for example, harm someone’s reputation.
Nevertheless, TV programmes of disabled persons can often be seen on Pakistani media those will hurt the feelings of disabled people. So many sex orienting dramas, religious, ethnic and sex based documentaries have also been part of TV programmes. For some offensive material is acknowledged as important to the story. Indecent words, videos and pictures are often seen in Pakistani media. Vulgar stories, immodest dialogues and indecent dressing of actors in TV dramas, are unsuitable for Pakistani society. Shouted anchors sometimes used harsh language.
Indecent content should be moved from front to inside page of newspaper and in TV programmes from prime time to late night, when children are not watching and the PEMRA rules say that No programme shall be aired which is against basic cultural values, morality and good manners and Particular care should be taken to ensure that programmes meant for children do not contain objectionable language or are disrespectful to their parents or elders. It is violation of privacy rights to publish private information about someone who has a logical expectation of privacy. No one has the right to interfere others personal matters.
