Daily Times

Media represents the society, and because of its demonstrated and inherent ability to influence human perceptions and create events, it is universally acknowledged as the fourth pillar of the state. The pluralist and free media acting as a watchdog of public interests, the carrier of information and promoter of a free and balanced debate, is considered a defining element of the political and democratic entities.

Freedom of expression and right to know are embedded in the UN Charter of human rights and also guaranteed in the constitutions of most of the countries. The governments are supposed to provide an enabling environment to the media to play its due role. In the task of nation building, the government and media have complimentary roles. This reciprocity of roles requires that in return for the government efforts to facilitate the media in the performance of its professional duties, the media should also show a sense of social responsibility by adhering to its constitutional, legal, social, moral and professional obligations.

Duty to one’s conscience is the primary basis of the right of freedom of expression. Since the media represents the society which has its moral values, traditions, aspirations and certain national objectives, the media is supposed to respect and promote these values and make sure that its conduct was invariably focused on promoting the good of the society and the nation. In other words, the media has to act in a responsible manner.

Dr. Robert Maynard Hutchison, Vice Chancellor of Chicago University who headed Hutchison Commission formed in US 1942 to make recommendations on the freedom of expression and media’s obligations towards the society in the backdrop of growing calls by the US public for government intervention to check the indiscretions of the media and attempts by the media to avoid incisive government regulation remarked, “freedom comes with responsibility.”

The report of the Commission submitted in 1947, is regarded as the Magna Carta of the modern concept of freedom of expression and media’s responsibilities towards the society. It unequivocally emphasised the need for media to provide an accurate, truthful and comprehensive account of events, act as a forum for the exchange of comment and criticism, present and clarify goals and values of the society and make sure that it projects a representative picture of the constituent groups of the society. The report also reiterated the fact that society and public have a right to expect high standards of performance and as such intervention can be justified to secure public good.

Ethical and professional codes of conduct for the media drawn up by UNESCO, International Federation of Journalists, Media Associations, Press Councils in the countries where self-regulatory arrangement is in place and the code of ethics which forms the part of Press Council Ordinance in Pakistan invariably espouse the principles of the Social Responsibility Theory propounded by Hutchison Commission.

Judged on the touchstone of the preceding, the media landscape in Pakistan presents a very dismal picture. While it zealously tends to maintain and protect its freedom, it is not showing the sense of social responsibility that goes with the freedom of expression. The media, regrettably, like the political polarisation in the country, is also divided into anti-government, pro-government, and rightist groups with each entity trying to rub-in its own skewed and partisan views on national issues and even resorting to smear campaigns against their supposed rivals. Consequently, truth and social responsibility have become casualties of this rampant media culture.

Some media outlets, which are essentially hostile to the incumbent government, seem to have thrown all caution to the winds in complete disregard to the universally accepted professional and ethical standards and are hell-bent to distort its image. They do not let go any opportunity to have as wipe from the government and are on record to have invented scandals and shown an irrepressible propensity even to resort to falsehood. They are recklessly engaged in spreading despondency and frustration among the masses notwithstanding the fact that the handling of the economy and its revival through sagacious economic management by the present government has been duly acknowledged and recognised by the international lending and rating agencies.

The government has shown a remarkable sense of tolerance and accommodation in regards to the freedom of expression and has refrained from putting curbs on the erratic behaviourof the concerned media channels. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while addressing the exporters and businessmen on 10 January in Islamabad was right to remark that some channels were spreading despair and trying their best to create the impression that the country was going down the drain. However, he added that the people did not like such channels. In view of the prevailing media scenario, one cannot take an issue with what the Prime Minister has said.

No doubt there are still serious problems on the political and economic front which have mostly been inherited by the present government and which cannot be resolved immediately due to their complexity. But there is no lack of commitment on the part of the government to resolve them. There is no doubt that the government has to a great extent tackled the phenomenon of terrorism, revived the economy and restored a sense of normalcy in Karachi and Balochistan. It would, therefore, be unfair not to acknowledge the success of those efforts

It is indeed a matter of grave concern that at a time when the country was confronted with a myriad of challenges including an existentialist threat and the civil society was yearning for stability and strengthening of the democratic institutions, some sections of the media are sending wrong signals to the society. It is creating a sense of despondency and frustration among the masses and also shaking their confidence in the state institutions. It is a perfect recipe for disaster. The media, therefore, needs to introspect its attitude and be mindful of the fact that freedom of expression has no purpose or role other than safeguarding and promoting the interests of the society and the nation. In this hour of crisis, it has to stand on the side of the democratic entities and the civil society and to resist the machinations of the invisible anti-democratic forces. That is the only way we can progress as a nation. It should remember that without democracy there would be no freedom of expression. It is rightly said that press and a nation rise and fall together.

The writer is a retired diplomat, a freelance columnist, and a member of the visiting faculty of the Riphah Institute of Media Sciences, Riphah International University Islamabad. He can be reached at ashpak10@gmail.com