With the evolution 0f media
people had a great thirst for it. They take it as their foremost source of
information. Observing that much importance of media, there should be some
limitations set for it. So with the passage of time many codes were formulated
and applied for them. Media ethics bound the media industries with the
responsibility to perform for the betterment of society. But in the haste to be
first in delivering the news and information to the audience and for the sake of
being popular among the viewers, readers and listeners, they compromise on the
media ethical values. Commercial interest of media to broadcast and print the
advertising for generation of revenue never let it observe ample time for the
public service message, thus compromise over the lines of ethical practices.
In the ambitions to be the first in the media race, media goes immature in
coverage of the crime stories and terrorist activities which indirectly boosted
them to use their increasing coverage over media as a tool of terror. Media in
Pakistan is going through the age of development and is not fully mature. At
such stage it is very vital to provide the public through credible and news
worthy information and positive entertainment. The media coverage of the
devastating 2005 earthquake also put under a bright spotlight all the ethical
shortcomings of the nascent electronic media in the country. Overly sentimental,
always dripping with death and destruction, television coverage showed how a
natural disaster can become a boon for unethical journalists to try their hands
at the biggest story of the day without worrying about the ethics of it.
The gory images of the dead and the dying believe most television journalists
and some in the print as well, make good news regardless of the psychological
impact that they may have on unsuspecting audiences including children. It is
often observed that media exaggerate the government’s negative points. Positive
moves are not highlighted or sometimes even positive initiatives are turned into
negative, which also creates hopelessness among people. Movies and dramas also
present such characters and stunts, that children imitate, this can be dangerous
for them.
It is the responsibility of media, not to create rifts in the social structure,
avoid the sensationalism, not to play with the emotions of the public and stay
away from slander and libel and to provide accurate and ethical picture of every
information.