The influence of broadcast media

Sir: Media has always played a vital role in our lives. One cannot deny that television has brought a remarkable change to the world of media, especially when it comes to news media. People can now have access to the latest happenings in all parts of the world. If you talk about Pakistani news media, one cannot help but question if the news channels are overstepping their boundaries for the sake of publicity or just doing their job?

It is Sab Keh Do (Just say it all) Day. On this occasion let me draw your attention to the situation that has been noted that when an incident occurs in which one or more lives are lost, the reporters take no notice of the condition that the friends and family of the victim are in, and interview them about how it makes them feel that their loved one is no longer in the world. Their act of going into the homes of the victims is utterly inappropriate.
Let’s shed some light on the incident of Bhoja Air crash on April 20, 2012. The insensitivity that the news channels showed towards the families of the victims was vicious. It was wrong of them to follow people who were present at Karachi airport trying to confirm if their loved ones were in the plane that has crashed, with cameras showing the families of the deceased live on TV who were mourning in grief and fainting in the anguish and shock of their loved ones’ tragic death.
It is the job of the news channels to inform people about what, where and when an event happened. But our news channels are doing a lot more than their jobs. In the race for being the first to show certain clips, details and interviews, they forget the meaning of privacy and show no consideration for the feelings of the public.
The viewership does not only include adults. When children, women or people who have been through the same kind of tragedies in the past watch such things, it affects their minds in a negative way. News channels must realize the harm that their actions cause to the minds of the viewers and must put a stop to it. They should respect the emotions and privacy of the public instead of displaying them for the sake of the rankings of their news channels. If news channels refuse to be responsible, then our government should take action to put a stop to it.
PARWARSHA ARSHAD MIRZA
Karachi