Daily Times

Things have never been strictly by the book in our part of the world. When discussing media and its inclination for sensationalism – colourful headlines and personal bias heavily affecting the objectivity of a supposed watchdog – experts have always consistently warned that, much, much sooner than expected, conventional media in Pakistan would begin to lose its credibility in the eyes of the masses. Because the remote control lies in the hands of consumers, who seem to have grown accustomed to triggering content, media houses often express their helplessness, stating that it is not them but the reader, viewer or listener who demands stories evoking strong emotions – be it outrage, fear, or validation – rather than those that challenge critical thinking. Of course, the less said the better about the debate over which came first: the chicken or the egg.

Walking on this thinrope, journalists constantly have to balance the right to tell with the business model’s right to sell. Saner voices keep highlighting the pied pipers whose ambitions prosper at the expense of Pakistan’s youth, with every post viciously pushing our nation’s greatest strength further down the rabbit hole of intolerance, turning young individuals into footsoldiers in a war that was never theirs to begin with. While it might be absurd to expect every Tom, Dick and Harry in the industry to become a conscientious advocate for quality journalism, it is disheartening to see an entire outlet – founded in the free-est corners of the modern world – resorting to the ugliest manifestation of yellow journalism.

Drop Site claims to be “not simply another non-partisan news organization (but a) completely independent journalism dedicated to principles of accuracy and accountability.” Fair enough. However, why would one of the last defenders of this cause play by the old, rotten playbook? A detailed analysis of its reports related to Pakistan reveals gross exaggerations regarding civil-military relations, political instability and the strategic alliances with the US and China, along with the propagation of false news that aligns with a specific political agenda. Once published, these stories find their way to the social media handles of the PTI, being retweeted by millions of followers and instantly changing the narrative. The ruthless calculus of media manipulation is well aware of how to avoid addressing scathing allegations of compromised integrity and misinformation. In Pakistan, where even a single manipulated image is sufficient to distort the perception of countless young minds eager to do something to change the status quo, these political players sit back and enjoy the spectacle, predominantly concerned about when they will ride back to the office. Whatsoever happens to those whose energy is used for counterproductive bursts of hatred is ultimately their own issue. *