Top news managers from Pakistans eight television channels have voluntarily evolved and agreed guidelines, governing terrorism coverage.

Representatives of KTN, Samaa, DawnNews, Dunya, Express News & Express 24/7, ARY, Geo and Aaj television met in Karachi to successfully conclude a debate on how best to respond to viewer feedback on reporting incidents where large-scale loss of human life has occurred.

In a maiden initiative, the group comprising key news decision-makers in their respective organisations, recognised that the public’s abiding trust in the media placed a heavy responsibility on news managers to further improve the quality of the news product.

Applying their collective experience and judgment, they agreed on harmonising existing professional methods to perform the task of honest reporting in these times of extreme national crisis and a perilous security environment.

Members of the group, a voluntary gathering open to all, agreed among themselves that formalisation of policies on reporting and news gathering in terrorism-related cases was needed.

The areas where agreement was reached pertained to field and live reporting, viewer exposure to extreme and disturbing visuals, dead bodies, badly injured people, accounts of the emotionally-distraught as well as eyewitnesses, and real-time decisions on releasing information during war (or warlike situations) or in the case of hostage taking.

The news managers decided that they would refrain from showing graphic and disturbing images on screen and, as and when required, utilise a time delay mechanism in their live transmissions.

This will enable the channels to edit out undesirable footage. The news managers developed a consensus on putting in greater effort to check information before flashing breaking news about bomb blasts etc.

The news managers agreed to exercise extreme caution when covering incidents involving hostages. They decided that in such situations they would take all steps necessary to ensure that information being relayed through the channels did not, in any way, help the hostage-takers or endanger the lives of the hostages.

Better training for camera crew and safety orientation of reporters were other areas where the group agreed to implement swift measures in line with the potential and constraints of each channel.

It was also agreed to introduce strict safety measures for their crews covering disaster situations.

They also requested all other TV channels to cooperate with them in following these voluntary guidelines, and said they would welcome suggestions to further improve their coverage.

The news managers agreed among themselves that more discussion of this sort with their colleagues from other channels was required to take this task further. As would an ongoing contact to review the guidelines in order to keep pace with a dynamic situation.

Through such discussions, Pakistan’s news channels would be able to honour the faith hundreds of millions of viewers have reposed in them, and who look up to the Pakistani media as the most trustworthy institution
central to the struggle for a better, prosperous, democratic and secure Pakistan.

The news managers reiterated that these voluntary guidelines drafted by them would further enhance the professionalism of Pakistani channels.

They resolved to implement these decisions to the best of their abilities and in good faith voluntarily.
The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) has already given its voluntary Code of Conduct on coverage of terrorism to the government.

Now since the news managers have also agreed to voluntarily follow their own set of guidelines, they called upon the government to desist from imposing any guidelines formulated by official functionaries, as such guidelines would be seen as restrictions that would run counter to the spirit of freedom of expression.

They also called upon the government and the military to stop pulling channels off-air as such moves are also counter-productive.

Courtesy : DAWN.COM