Aubaid Ahmad Akhoon
“Freedom of the press is not merely the freedom to publish; it is the responsibility to inform, educate, question and inspire society with truth.”
In any democratic setup, criticism is vital for governance, accountability as well as transparency. Recently, in the name of criticism, especially with the advent of digital media, rising TV ratings and social media’s propagation of ‘virals’, a thin line between criticism is getting blurred and is becoming more of a tool to troll, outrage and polarize society.
Criticism is always healthy when it highlights the flaws, policies, mistakes and loopholes, while constructive criticism is when along with the flaws and mistakes, suggestions and remedies are also provided. Trolling is more of deriding, ridiculing, defaming and sensationalizing without any valid reasons. It is high time that we should stand up to this new form of censorship and save our democratic values, public discourse and sanity.
This trolling wave has engulfed our social media sites and some of our TV channels also, where instead of having informed and intelligent discussions on matters of fact which affect millions of people, we are witnessing the most sensationalized ad-hoc debates where even the basic decorum of discussion is lacking. The most ridiculous thing about this whole scenario is that people are associating this trolling with freedom of speech. It is not freedom of speech, which is being exercised here, but rather license. License to outrage, license to hate, license to abuse, license to deride, license to defame and license to mislead.
Freedom of Speech was never meant to be used as a tool for spreading poison, lies, hatred and malice. The credibility of our public discourse is at stake here when even the most basic facts are being questioned. Journalism’s main motto should not be to become just another political weapon by sensationalizing the situations when the very basics of democracy require it to question the very system, institutions and machinery.
A great Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka rightly said, “The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism”. However, absence of appropriate criticism, criticism without credibility is also dangerous, which actually is propaganda in disguise. Praise without credibility is public relations, while criticism without credibility is propaganda.
This difference between praise and criticism has been discussed in the realms of poetry and literature too. Tanqeed in the Urdu literature is not always censure. It actually means to criticize, discuss, appreciate, evaluate and review a subject matter with an unbiased and unprejudiced outlook. However, Tanqeed does not support suppression. It tries to uplift and improve things by providing a healthy constructive critique. This way Tanqeed is different from criticism or censure. A good Tanqeed evaluates both the positives and negatives so that the readers can also form an opinion about the subject matter themselves. The whole concept of Tanqeed is similar to the role of journalism today, where a journalist should not become a booster or a basher but an honest intermediary who deals in facts, opinions, thoughts, analysis and everything else that constitutes public discourse.
A great Urdu scholar Altaf Hussain Hali’s Tanqeed on Urdu ghazal (a poetic genre) is an eye opener. At the time when almost everyone was criticizing Urdu ghazal and dismissing it as obsolete, Altaf Hussain Hali did not resort to outright dismissal. He appreciated the efforts of the ghazal writers while also discussing their weaknesses in his book ‘Muqaddama-e-Sher-o-Shairi’. He actually laid down the foundation for reforming the Urdu ghazal which eventually bore fruits in later years. Today, Altaf Hussain Hali is respected by one and all for his honest and unbiased Tanqeed.
Another great Urdu critic Prof. Ale Ahmad Suroor also believed that criticism is among the most solemn duties of a writer. He further said that a critic should aim at building standards, not lowering them when discussing any subject. Similarly, we believe that a critic (or a journalist) should aim at becoming a truth seeker and a democratizer of human thought, and not resort to sensationalism and mudslinging when discussing the very serious matters which require a level head to analyze and present facts in an honest manner.
Today in this competitive world of media, the biggest threat to healthy criticism is social media’s promotion of outrageous content as it helps the channel or the page to go viral. Similarly, in order to get TRPs, TV channels air more of sensational debates where two sides of a single coin fight each other. In such scenarios, trolling has become more of a virtue and sensationalism has become the new facts.
Actually, the whole debate around the credibility of the facts is the most important aspect because when the public discourse starts becoming more of opinion-based, the facts themselves become questionable. In such a scenario, the democratic setup will only suffer because ultimately it is the common man who is the most affected by all this chaos, confusion, polarization and mistrust.
This is one of the biggest challenges journalism is facing today in the 21st century.
Journalism, despite all the challenges, is an integral part of any democratic society. The appearance of new technologies and the ability to spread information instantly via the Internet has indeed made a lot of changes. The fact that people can now get access to any news from the comfort of their home is definitely a positive trend. However, as all things in the world, this process has both positive and negative aspects. The former include such advantages as increased voice for the voiceless, while the latter comprise the loss of professional credibility, ethical decline, and public trust.
The most apparent problem with the current state of journalism is that people who do not have enough professional competence, ethical principles, and proper training can call themselves journalists. A lot of individuals who have no idea about the basics of journalism use social media to spread news as if they are professionals. Undoubtedly, citizen journalism is important, especially during emergencies, but it cannot replace professional journalism.
Journalism is not just about reporting the news; it is about being objective and responsible for all the information that gets disseminated through newspapers, radio, TV, and the Internet. Therefore, it is necessary to double-check all the facts and research before publishing any news or articles. After all, false information can lead to a disaster for the individuals, institutions, and countries involved. It is also important to remember that journalism should not be about being the fastest one to report; it should be about being honest and truthful.
Unfortunately, the race for speed and views has greatly impacted the self-interest of many media outlets, which has resulted in a change in the priorities of journalism. In other words, the primary objective of many news outlets has shifted from serving the public interest to entertaining the audience. Many media outlets are now more interested in making their content go viral than reporting actual news. However, such approaches to journalism have significantly affected the credibility of the news outlets and the trust in journalism in general.
This problem can be observed in many TV debates, where instead of having a dialogue with each other, debaters are trying to shout down their opponents. Moderators, who are supposed to keep order and provide equal conditions for the debaters, encourage the spread of radical opinions and engage in a heated on-air argument with the candidates. Such a strategy may be beneficial for the views of the debate show, but it is not helpful for democracy and public discourse. After all, healthy debates should be about having fair arguments, not trying to humiliate each other.
It is also crucial to remember that journalism should never be confused with entertainment. Even though it is necessary to make news interesting, it should not be prioritized over professionalism. A good journalist should always ask challenging questions, investigate them ethically and thoroughly, and present the information in a way that allows citizens to make reasonable conclusions and form their own opinions. The role of a journalist is to report the news, not to dictate how and what people should think.
Moreover, the problem with the credibility of news outlets and journalists is also exacerbated by the fact that fake news, disinformation, and rumors spread at an unprecedented rate. False information, conspiracy theories, misleading headlines, fake videos, and pictures can go viral at an incredible speed, getting millions of views and likes before they get removed. Such information and rumors can have destructive power, especially during emergencies, war, or social conflicts.
When there is a disaster or a dangerous situation, people look for news to know what is happening and how to behave. Unfortunately, disinformation can lead to panic and even violence. In addition, fake news can damage the reputation of individuals and countries and cause social chaos. Therefore, it is necessary to fight disinformation and ensure that only credible news outlets report the news.
Professional journalists should lead the fight against disinformation by reinforcing the importance of fact-checking, sources, and ethical writing. It is not enough to simply publish any news in order to attract more followers or get more views on social media. It is also important to remember that any journalist who spreads false information and does not fact-check the news before publishing it is not a professional.
The declining credibility of news outlets and journalists also affects the perception of news by the young generation. The majority of young people get their news from social media, where the quality of information is often lower than in newspapers or TV. In addition, young people see many news segments that are not serious at all and do not follow ethical journalistic standards. Therefore, they may perceive such unprofessional conduct as normal and start considering such news as credible information. In other words, the youth may lose their ability to differentiate between credible information and disinformation.
It is crucial for educational institutions, parents, and media outlets to teach young people to be more critical about the news they read or watch. It is important to provide them with tools to check the reliability of the sources and learn how to identify fake news, propaganda, and opinions. An informed and educated society is the best protection against disinformation.
Another threat to the integrity of news outlets and journalists is trolling. Trolling is not about criticizing news or journalists; it is about insulting and abusing people who express their opinion on the Internet. Unfortunately, many trolls are supported by media outlets and social media platforms, which makes them even more dangerous. Trolling is a threat to healthy public discourse because it makes people feel unsafe and not welcome to participate in it. Moreover, many trolls use the Internet to spread fake news and disinformation.
A responsible journalist should fight trolling by being courageous and truthful instead of abusive and disrespectful. In fact, being a good journalist means standing by ethical principles and fighting disinformation. Being critical does not mean being rude or abusive; it means being honest and fair to everyone regardless of their opinions. After all, it is important to remember that trolling is not a sign of a strong opinion; it is a sign of lack of intelligence.
(The author is a columnist and motivational speaker. He can be reached at [email protected])
