Jamshed Ahmed Khan:
The issue is very interesting, though at one side we know that journalists are in continued threats from the terrorists, on the other hand, it’s also proven that journalists became the best friends for the terrorists.
I would like to give the example for my homeland Pakistan where terrorists have been treated with a lot of extraordinary coverage of their terror-based activities. For example when the terrorists, who are so called Taliban also, started their activities in a beautiful valley of Swat, at that instead of condemning them the media given massive coverage and publicity to them, with that publicity and coverage they (Terrorists) became more and more strong. They openly acted like action heroes of the Hollywood movies.
One at the same valley of Swat, the young girl flogged by Taliban according to their won interpreted Sharia law. It is to be clear that infect it was completely against the real Sharia laws. Media gave the coverage with huge publicity and with such publicity, the terrorists succeeded to spread fears and terrors amongst the masses. Many well-known journalists interviewed the top leadership of terrorists; some unknown journalists became famous with their close contacts with terrorists and their leadership.
The media provide coverage to the terrorists and all platforms, television, radio, newspapers, magazine and as well as online news providers created utmost space for them. And all over in Pakistan, it’s happened only because of competition amongst all the media groups, they always try to show some extra efficiency. We have so many examples for publicity based news for terrorists; the layout of news regarding terrorists always spread fears in the masses and strength to the terrorists.
The issue of journalists is the best friend of terrorists is not proven only in Pakistan. Even if we monitor the international media it is the same over there, the same things have done by the international media in Iraq and Afghanistan, with such coverage journalist mostly spread fears around, that is one of the reasons still no succeeded to prevent terrorism. We lost a lot in the ongoing so-called war on terror. With their nonstop terrorism and the way, their terror activities got coverage and promotion by the media (journalists) have given a lot of damages. Now clearly we can see the effects of this attitude in all parts of our society. We have violence in our daily life activities. The movies and telefilms are also injecting the culture of blood and bullets and it is highly appreciated by the viewers.
Still, we have time to think and draw the limits and standards of such news. The journalist should give news to the people rather than spreading the fear of terrorists. Otherwise, we will never ever be able to prevent this conflict.
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