Electronic Media and Code of Ethics in Pakistan

Media Ethics Report

Choudry Arif, Karachi Pakistan

Index
1. Ethics..Page 03 2. Media Ethics
2.1 Truthfulness / Accuracy 2.2 Fairness.Page 04 2.3 Limitation of Harm 2.4 Acceptability 2.5 Invasion of privacy 2.6 Confidentiality 2.7 Slander and Libel.Page 05 2.8 Applied Codes of Ethics

3. Why Codes of Ethics are needed?.............................Page 07 4. Ignorance of code of ethics

5. Electronic Media in Pakistan..Page 08 6. Survey Page 09 7. Summary..Page 10

1. Ethics:
Ethics (also known as moral philosophy) is a branch of philosophy which seeks to address questions about morality. Ethics came from a Greek word Ethos which means god and evil. Ethics are set of guidelines to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong. Its voluntary and bounded by moral bindings and followed on will and respect. Also it is the philosophical study of moral values and rules It is the moral code which guides the members of the profession in proper conduct of their duties and obligations.

2. Media Ethics:
Media Ethics is the branch of ethics to deal with media and content in it. As the media is watched by masses including people of all ages the content might not be suitable for them. So set of ethical boundaries (also professionally know as code of ethics) are set to follow and provide healthy content to the viewers. The common codes of media ethics are: Truthfulness / Accuracy Fairness Limitation of Harm Acceptability Invasion of privacy Confidentiality Traumas Social responsibility Stereo typing

2.1: Truthfulness and Accuracy:

Reporter and media are expected to provide accurate and correct news and content through reliable sources. Incorrect content can create problems and misunderstandings therefore causing great problems afterwards, the reporter and media must keep in mind the consequences of it. Also the content must be rechecked by someone else to eliminate errors. The principle of modern journalism can be understood from this saying:"When a dog bites a man it is no news, but when a man bites a dog, it is news". One practical example of this method is provided by our present journalism which is constantly engaged in giving maximum coverage to any hot news created by an unruly section of Muslims. If the percentage of hot news forms only one percent the percentage of soft news is not less than 99 percent. But the reader of the newspapers is totally in the dark about this 99 percent of

the picture. Whereas one percent is being repeated again and again. As a result of this one sided study unreal opinion is formed. {Social Responsibility and media by Maulana Wahiddudin Khan}

2.2: Fairness:
The information and content provided must be fair and there must be no personal favors or media benefits in favoring someone. Only the audience must judge for themselves.

2.3: Limitation of harm:

Like many broader ethical systems, journalism ethics include the principle of "limitation of harm." This often involves the withholding of certain details from reports such as the names of minor children, crime victims' names or information not materially related to particular news reports release of which might, for example, harm someone's reputation.

2.4: Taste, Decency and Acceptability

For some distasteful or shocking material is considered important to the story, there are a variety of common methods for mitigating negative audience reaction. Advance warning of explicit or disturbing material may allow listeners or readers to avoid content they would rather not be exposed to. Offensive words may be partially obscured or bleeped. Potentially offensive images may be blurred or narrowly cropped. Descriptions may be substituted for pictures; graphic detail might be omitted. Disturbing content might be moved from a cover to an inside page, or from daytime to late evening, when children are less likely to be watching. There is often considerable controversy over these techniques, especially concern that obscuring or not reporting certain facts or details is self-censorship that compromises objectivity and fidelity to the truth, and which does not serve the public interest. For example, images and graphic descriptions of war are often violent, bloody, shocking and profoundly tragic. This makes certain content disturbing to some audience members, but it is precisely these aspects of war that some consider to be the most important to convey. Some argue that "sanitizing" the depiction of war influences public opinion about the merits of continuing to fight, and about the policies or circumstances that precipitated the conflict. The amount of explicit violence and mutilation depicted in war coverage varies considerable from time to time, from organization to organization, and from country to country.

2.5: Invasion of Privacy

Its an infringement of privacy to publish private facts about someone who has a reasonable expectation of privacy in them, and where the disclosure is highly offensive to a reasonable person. The code of ethics negates to invade someone privacy and personal information and to reveal it in front of media unless its not a public affair issue.

2.6: Confidentiality:
The sources must be correct for providing the correct figure and content of news, and must be trusted by the media.

2.7: Slander and Libel:

Slander is to falsely speak about someones character which results in damaging his reputation. While Libel is a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a person. 1. Reporting the truth is never libel, which makes accuracy very important. 2. Private persons have privacy rights that must be balanced against the public interest in reporting information about them. Public figures have fewer privacy rights in U.S. law, where reporters are immune from a civil case if they have reported without malice. In Canada, there is no such immunity; reports on public figures must be backed by facts. 3. Publishers vigorously defend libel lawsuits filed against their reporters, usually covered by libel insurance. (Source: Wikipedia.com)

2.8: Current Codes of Ethics

Adopted by the General Assembly of the Committee of the Press, 1972.
Freedom of information and the Press is a fundamental human right and is a touchstone of all the freedoms consecrated in the Charter of the United Nations as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and it is essential to the promotion and to the preservation of peace. And believing that it is necessary to observe a voluntary Code of Conduct to ensure its functioning in freedom in the most beneficial manner to society, this general meeting of the Press Consultative Committee, held at Karachi on March 17, 1972, decides to adopt the principles of the Codes as herein set forth. 1. The profession of journalism, which is a public institution should not be used as an instrument to serve anti-social ends, or interests which are not compatible with this profession, nor should it be used to the detriment of national and public interest. 2. Following are to be avoided in any form of publication, such as articles, news items, photographs and advertisements: a. Immorality or obscenity. b. Vulgar and derogatory expressions against individuals, institutions or groups. c. Libelous or false allegations against individuals, institutions, newspapers or publications. d. Religious sectarianism; arousing one sect against another. e. Glamorization of crime. 1. The right of the individual to protection of his reputation and integrity must be respected and exposure of a comment on the private lives of individuals must be avoided unless this is imperatively in the public interest.

2. Presentation of news items and comments on events should be fair and objective and there should be no willful departure from facts. 3. Headlines should not materially distort the contents of the news. 4. Off-the-record briefings should not be published. 5. The journalist should be entitled to protect his sources of information and respect confidence placed in him. 6. Embargoes on release dates of news, articles and pictures, should be rigorously observed. 7. All paid commercial announcements or advertisements should be published in such a way as to leave no doubt that they actually are paid commercial announcements or advertisements. 8. Justified corrections or denials sent as a result of any incorrect information published by newspapers, periodicals or news agencies should be published within the shortest possible period of time so as to effectively eliminate the impression created by the original publication which necessitated the issuance of a correction or denial. 9. Press shall not publish news or comment, photographs or advertisements which may undermine the security of the state or the solidarity of the nation. 10. The press shall refrain from publishing anything likely to undermine the loyalty and allegiance of he Armed Forces of Pakistan. 11. The press shall not publish anything apt to create ill-will between different sections of the people, but it shall not be construed to preclude legitimate airing of grievances. 12. In reporting proceedings of the National and Provincial Assemblies, such portions of the proceedings as he Speaker may have ordered to be expunged from the records of the Assembly shall not be published and every effort shall be made to give the readers a fair report of what has been said by all sections of the House. 13. Dealing with any situation, the press shall restrict itself to factual reporting of events without in any way encouraging or providing any form of disturbance. 14. No newspaper shall accept in any form or shape any financial and pecuniary advantage or obligations from or on behalf of any foreign country or concern. 15. The personnel of the Press must never accept any form of bribe or permit personal interest to influence their sense of justice and impartiality. (Source and detailed info: eyonethics.org)

3. Why codes of ethics are needed?

Every profession must have set of rules to follow to ensure the safety of themselves and others and so that one might not hurt other person unwillingly and also small appearing incidents / events have great impact on others life. They are also to ensure that no one takes advantage of his position or profession in bad and unethical way.

4. Results of ignoring code of ethics

In the field of electronic media any irresponsibility and ignorance can result as below:

4.1: Harm to people:

A person reputation or character and public image can be harmed by irresponsibility of media and can cause him pain and suffering for a long time period.

4.2: Credibility Loss

The media might lose its credibility and peoples trust which is a disaster for media and might end the existence of media.

4.3: Watch dog weakens

Media acts as watch dog keeping a deep eye on rules regulations and events in society and government and not following the code of ethics might weaken it as people might lose trust on it or the media persons become corrupt and not do their jobs properly.

5. Electronic media in Pakistan.

Before 2000, there were limited number of TV channels that includes PTV, PTV World and Channel 3. But the introduction of open media policy opened a gateway for new TV channels and many new channels emerged, also the taste and habits of watching TV changed and the news coverage jumped from slow cart to a fast sports car. Currently working types of TV channels are:

News Channels o PTV News o News One o Express News o Geo News o Din News Entertainment Channels o MTV o Fashion TV o AAG o Filmazia Regional Language Channels o Sindhi KTN , Kashish TV, Sindh TV o Punjabi Apna Channel Punjab TV o Pushto ATV Khyber K2 (Music Entertainment Channel)

English Channels (e.g. Dawn News, Express 24x7) Sports Channel (Geo Super)

Survey:
To find out the public image and perception and observation of the situation a questionnaire was prepared to get the opinion of public. For this persons are selected carefully from different status and positions to get the opinion from many schools of thoughts.

Question 1: Do you think present media is affecting mind of people?

Answers: Yes = 12 people No = 1 people

Question 1: Role of News Channels is:

Answers: Positive = Negative = Mixed = 4 people 6 people 3 people

Question 3: How many hours you watch TV daily?

Answers: 1.5, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 4, 1, 6,1,4,5 hours Average hours per person: hours daily

Question 5: Should there be control over Channels?

Answers: Yes = 9 people No = 3 people Separate body 1 person

Question 6: Who should control channels?

Answers: Government = Channels themselves = Both = 3 people 3 people 1 person

Question 7: Should TV Channels support a party or movement?

Answers: Yes = No = Only Party= 1 person 10 people 1 Person

Question 8: Is 24 hours live coverage:

Answers: Good = 7 people

Bad =

6 people

Question 9: Should there be free coverage of violence on TV?

Answers: Yes = No = 1 person 12 people

Question 10: Are TV channels providing solutions or confusion of national problems?

Answers: Confusion = Solution = Mixed = 8 people 4 people 1 person

Question 11: TV channels are proving to be more

Answers: Informative = 5 people Harmful = 5 people Mixed = 3 people

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Summary:
From the above conducted survey it can be conclude that large number knows the effects of TV channels on minds. Though the opinions of people are somewhat different about things but one thing gets clear that people want TV channels that play positive role in society and their must a monitoring authority to monitor the role of TV channels either government or TV channels themselves lookout for this purpose. Thus emphasizing that there must be a code, a code that defines whats right and whats wrong and whats better for everyone. That is CODE OF ETHICS.

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