Media and accountability

[BATMAN]

Media and accountability

By Ikram Sehgal
12/6/2007
As the fourth pillar in support of the other three -- the executive, the legislative and the judiciary -- the media is sometimes called "the fourth estate". Essential to the health of democracy, access to information not only ensures that citizens make responsible and informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation, but also serves a "checking function" by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them. An antagonistic relationship between the media and the government represents a vital and healthy element of fully functioning democracies. This may not be appropriate in post-conflict or ethnically homogenous societies, but the role of the press in disseminating information remains critical to mediating between the state and all facets of civil society.

America's successful revolution in the late 18th century decided that the government, if there should be one, should be accountable to the people. The people, in turn, could only hold the government accountable if they knew what it was doing and could intercede as necessary, using their ballot, for example. This role of public "watchdog" was thus assumed by a citizen press, and as a consequence, the government in the United States has been kept out of the news business. The only government-owned or government-controlled media in the United States are those that broadcast overseas, such as the Voice of America. By law, this service is not allowed to broadcast within the country.

According to the Wikipedia Encyclopaedia, investigative journalism is an information-gathering exercise that looks for facts which are not easy to obtain by simple requests and searches or are actively being concealed, suppressed or distorted. Where investigative work involves undercover journalism or the use of whistleblowers and resorts to covert methods more typical of private detectives or even spying, it brings a large extra burden on ethical standards. Anonymous sources are always double-edged -- they often provide especially newsworthy information, such as classified or confidential information about current events, information about a previously unreported scandal, or the perspective of a particular group that may fear retribution for expressing certain opinions in the press. The downside is that the condition of anonymity may make it difficult or impossible for the reporter to verify the source's statements. Sometimes sources hide their identities from the public because their statements will otherwise quickly be discredited. Thus, statements attributed to anonymous sources may carry more weight with the public than they might if they were attributed.

The "honest broker" role of the media is one of its most important functions. The people need the media to provide them with a fair and accurate report of events and policies. Even in times of great trials and upheaval, like the situation obtaining in Pakistan today, the people must be involved in important decisions and can only be so if they are part of the process. The media helps get them involved. Without a free and independent media, citizens cannot know that their voices will be heard. The government needs the media to get its message out so that the people can assess government programmes and policies fairly, enabling them to better input in the decision-making process, suggest revisions and, when necessary, hold their elected government representative accountable. When freedom of the press is chained it allows one faction to exercise complete control over our ability to express our points of view. The media in Pakistan has been increasingly subjected to different types of intimidation to silence the voice of dissent and truth. The same regime that allowed "a hundred flowers to bloom" has engaged in acts of vandalising, threatening telephone calls, illegal detentions, harassment and use of various state bodies against journalists, writers, media outlets' owners and other members of the media industry. These tactics are the systematic pattern of harassment and victimization used against those who cannot otherwise be tamed or bribed. Governments should realize that being in power they need to be held accountable. Visiting the US recently, I was amazed at the agitation among Pakistanis settled there about the lack of information from Pakistan because of the closure of a well-known and popular TV station.

Nearly 60 per cent of the world's nations today are declared democracies, nevertheless most of them have instituted laws prohibiting reporting on a whole array of subjects ranging from internal activity and operations of the government to the private lives of leaders. Some of these are well-intentioned efforts to "preserve public stability". But all of them undermine not only self-governance but also good governance.

According to Wikipedia, "media responsibility" is a term for the belief that the mass media has a basic responsibility to strengthen and support democratic processes. Fairness, honesty and ethical behaviour in addition to open and probing minds must be nurtured. Journalists have to be committed to the excellence of their profession to its high standards, and to its defence. Journalists must also take upon themselves an important duty -- to act as the people's agents in seeking the truth and uncovering falsehood. They must adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards. Editorializing belongs to the editorial or opinion page, which is clearly marked and not mixed with factual news reporting or objective analysis. It is important that journalists and editors report news without injecting into it their own points of view. Sometimes we have transgressed this aspect of self-governance.

The principle of "limitation of harm" means that some weight needs to be given to the negative consequences of full disclosure, creating a practical and ethical dilemma. Quoting the code of ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists, journalists should (1) show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage, (2) use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects, (3) be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief, (4) recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort, (5) pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance, (6) recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention, (7) only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone's privacy, (8) show good taste, (9) avoid pandering to lurid curiosity, (10) be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes, (11) be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges and lastly, (12) balance a criminal suspect's fair trial rights with the public's right to be informed.

While the right to disagree is a fundamental prerogative and one has to respect that right, there must be logic and force of arguments -- the media must simply not become a vehicle to confuse issues by the coalescing of emotions. Our media must also be mature in making objective analysis and presentation on issues of consequence. Criticism must be done in good faith at seeking improvements in the prevailing situation, rather than for denigrating something or maligning somebody. In the ultimate analysis both are on the same side, the side of the people, in their search for social and economic emancipation. The government must willingly accept the role of the media in accountability.