It is quite annoying when you have to close pop-up windows, links, advertisements and video links, especially when you are trying to read or searching for something really important. The worst part is that the trend that was limited to the not-so-famous websites in the past is now employed by authentic news websites as well. The reason is pretty simple: in times of falling newspaper circulation and increasing online readers, news websites are also adopting various techniques to increase their revenues.
A relatively similar technique that is more annoying and misleading is called click-bait. This technique is increasingly being used by news websites to attract inquisitive viewers and readers. As the name suggests, you click on a ‘bait link’, and you are taken to a new link or a web page. This web page does not contain the content you clicked for, but for your ‘surprise’ the information on the page is, to a greater degree, misleading. In a similar fashion, pictures, images and even videos are also used to mislead readers.
A few days back, a picture showing a ‘street filled with blood’ or ‘river of blood’ was circulated all over the Internet using the click-bait technique by the leading news websites of Bangladesh. The trend was followed by leading international newspaper websites as well. The news report linked with the picture read that the whole of Dhaka due to its faulty drainage system got waterlogged following a heavy rain spell, and since it was the first day of Eid-ul Adha and due to the fact that people were sacrificing their animals in the streets, the streets looked like rivers of blood. However, as the news unfolded further, it was revealed that the situation only developed in one part of Dhaka called Shantinagar, and not the whole of it.
The click-bait technique is fairly simple: a journalist, or in most cases, a blogger or vlogger creates a link and a very catchy headline. The catchier the picture, video link or the headline, more people are expected to click the link. As a result, the news website containing the link is expected to generate more revenue.
However, despite the fact that a newspaper website is earning more revenue, it is losing something that is far more important than revenues: it is called quality. Click-baits are seriously compromising on quality journalism. First of all, it presents a misleading or a half-cooked story. Secondly, the quality of reporting is seriously compromised as the aim of creating a bait link is already achieved i.e. getting the reader to click on the link. The worst part is that authentic newspaper websites are relying on these bait links to increase their revenues. So, as a result, they are compromising on the quality of news they used to produce.
The Pakistani media industry has increasingly started to follow the trend. Some of the famous online news publications are flooded with click-bait links. In a country like ours, this technique might bring a lot of revenue for website owners, because we as a nation are far too inquisitive not to click on a bait link.
However, it is important to realise that our media industry is still young as compared to the west. Additionally, it is already struggling with quality issues. Most of the media organisations do not have a code of conduct. They do not have standard operating procedures or security policies. They do not pay their employees on time and there is no insurance for field staff. I guess it is no secret that Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries for practising journalism. These conditions are already forcing reporters to rely on one another more than investigation and studying of evidence. As a result, we see news stories in different newspapers with similar headlines and content. So with the addition of click-bait in everyday journalism, the quality of journalism is expected to go down further. Instead of going into the field and relying on evidence for reporting, most of the reporters would prefer sitting in press clubs or in their rooms, creating bait links. This will definitely reduce their workload but it will severely damage the quality of journalism.
It is a good time for the Pakistani media industry to choose between revenue and quality. I am sure that there are some publications that will prefer quality to revenue, but there are always those who would opt for revenue. It is important to realise that revenues will definitely increase once there is no compromise on quality. Click-bait like other trends will fade out one day and will be taken over by other trends. However, quality journalism will remain and will be followed by everyone no matter what the prevailing trend is.
The writer is a development consultant. She tweets at @GulminaBilal and can be reached at [email protected]