Criminalising journalism on February 20, 2018What Wolfgang Krach defines as ‘globalised Journalism for a globalised world’ goes beyond our customary definition of journalism. Both the thematic and the reach of journalistic responsibility changes. Equipped with modern technology journalism could help alleviate the very problems through direct involvement. It could unearth global, neoliberal oligarchic structures to help not only a nation […]
PEMRA: Regulating the Regulator on December 30, 2017Absar Alam secures a moral high ground by relinquishing the chairman PEMRA position immediately after the Lahore High Court decision on his appointment as chairman. PEMRA remains what it is. It will continue to remain a toothless institution that is the handmaiden of the ruling government and a handy tool in the power tug of […]
Reporting conflicts in a violence-loving world on December 12, 2017Do we need a war correspondent in the age of internet and internal conflicts? If we define war in the traditional sense of the word, we don’t have any. We live in an age of proxy wars and violent inner conflicts. The sense of conflict is very different from going to war. The conflict reporter, […]
Identifying extremism in the media on December 8, 2017Reporting on religion is one thing, reporting religiously is another, but it is totally different to be a religious extremist journalist. Extremism, like racism, has many facets. It creeps into our skins through known avenues of culture and stays there unnoticed. The moment others notice it, is often too late. It is even later that […]
Balancing the act while reporting on religion on November 30, 2017Media promotes and uses religion in different ways. Luring consumers to buy products is a gimmick the media uses. The religious elements are also used to attracting audiences, enhancing ratings, selling edibles, beverages, as well as different kinds of ideas and dogmas. The marathon Ramazan transmissions with gift showering and demagogies of the middle class, […]
War and conflict reporting in the age of confusion on November 21, 2017The term war correspondent brings names like Winston Churchill to our mind. His narrative of Pashtun bravery in Kohat is a wonderful first hand expression of the feelings of a journalist knowing not only the war and the ‘belligerent other’ but also the traditions of the other. Churchill’s narrative is a cultural experience. He didn’t […]
Checking the abuse of social media on November 17, 2017The advancement in social media has revolutionised communication, both in terms of technology and content. Social networking site Facebook is taking over the mainstream media’s sphere of influence, but the site does not seem to have a plan to fulfil ethical responsibility of professional journalism. As fancy technological gadgets, mostly mobile phones, are taking control […]
Paradise papers: a test of media responsibility on November 14, 2017The function of journalism in a democracy is to empower the citizens by helping them understand their surroundings so they can make informed decisions. In the age of globalisation, the professional responsibility includes knowledge about the world by interpreting global events in the local contexts. Brexit, Donald Trump, Panama papers, and now the Paradise papers […]
The unsung heroes of global journalism on November 7, 2017As we think of dominance and hegemony in social discourse as a whole in societies, there are also social structures within societies in the nation states that have their own stratifications. These stratifications would be in consonance with the larger normative structure within a society but there might be areas where these have their own […]
The roots of undemocratic discourse on October 24, 2017Are we free to speak our mind as individuals or we need to check every thought before saying anything? The eternal debate between the status quo and change is on the rise around the globe, because conservative opinion is gaining ground and is seeking to retract the space from under the feet of freedoms already […]