Reporting on Pakistan: Media Perspectives and Challenges

Reporting on Pakistan: Media Perspectives and Challenges 9/16/08- Woodrow Wilson Center Panelists included:

• Zaffar Abbas- Resident Editor, Islamabad Bureau, Dawn Newspaper
• Massoud Ansari- Political Correspondent, Herald Magazine
• Mazhar Abbas- Deputy News Director, ARY One World Television, and Secretary-General, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
• Ejaz Haider- News Editor, Friday Times, and Op-ed Editor, Daily Times
• Asma Shirazi- Special correspondent & Host, ARY One World Television

“[The Pakistani Media] is evolving.”- Zaffar Abbas It is clear that the Pakistani media has gone through profound changes in recent years. While readership of circulated newspapers remains relatively low, the TV viewership of news programs has mushroomed in the last five years; resulting in the creation of nearly 45 TV news channels. Vernacular print still has a place in Pakistani society but low literacy rates again make TV a more popular means of gaining access to news. As with any journalist, trying to avoid crossing the line of subjectivity remains difficult, however, the journalists put the challenge to themselves to use self-regulation when reporting. A “Complaints Commission” is in the process of being formed where citizens, if upset with a particular bias or feel that a reporter is misrepresenting the facts, can file a claim and get their complaint heard. The panelists were vague about exactly what authority the Commission would have, but the Commission is the journalists attempt at self-regulation. The proposed Code of Ethics can be found here. The panelists all acknowledge the need to think through the implications of a story and what reaction people will have before they report it. Serious challenges still plague the media’s ability to report accurately. First, the inability for reporters to verify information they receive is a serious roadblock in the accuracy of the reporting. Investigative journalism especially experiences this problem because often times the reporters are under pressures to write 5-6 stories a day and do not have the ability to verify everything. Furthermore, reporting on the tribal areas is very difficult for two reasons; one, accessibility, it is very difficult to get there and be able to report in a timely manner. And two, if you are embedded you have a limit on what is able to be reported. (Just like American journalists experienced while embedded during the Iraq War). Ejaz Haider made the point that while the military does appear to be opening up more to the media they are doing so on their own terms, with the ability to manipulate the angle of the story. Just because they are “opening up” does not mean they are saying anything meaningful. While it is still a dangerous atmosphere for adventuring journalists (45 were killed just last year), the entire panel remained optimistic about the future of freedom of the press in Pakistan. They understand they still have a long ways to go but consider themselves a unique case study compared to their neighboring countries in terms of journalistic freedom. Journalists still face threats and serious dangers to their lives but many continue to push the envelope. The next challenge will be if the new civilian government actually allows the press to continue operating in this freer manner; during the election they championed for freedom of press but it remains to be seen if they will actually follow through in the coming months.