Can’t catch a break: the Pakistan plane crash

As if weekly terrorist attacks and swirling geopolitical controversies wasn’t enough, Pakistan yesterday suffered yet another tragedy. Here’s the al-Jazeera report (via Kalsoom):

In the last few years, Air Blue has been (along with the various Telecom companies) one of the few bright spots in Pakistan’s decidedly dim landscape. It has grown year-to-year, mainly because unlike PIA, it doesn’t treat its passengers like utter crap, doesn’t (regularly) have unnecessary delays, and doesn’t bump you off the flight because some minister’s or DIG’s son needs to get to Lahore.

Obviously I am no expert on aeronautical engineering, so I have no idea why this crash happened (frankly, neither do the experts, as of right now anyway). It appears that the weather played a role; just a half hour before the crash, a PIA flight to Islamabad was diverted to Lahore because of rain and fog. Whatever the reason is, this is a tragedy that we could’ve done without.

Speaking of things we could do without, have you seen the media coverage of this? I don’t mean to step on Cafe Pyala territory here (who have a whole post up on their irresponsibility), but if ever there’s one industry in Pakistan that needs to be cleaned up, it’s these jokers. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I can watch most Pakistani news channels at most times even sitting in Chicago, but I must confess I turned it all off about 90 seconds after putting it on this morning. “Insensitive” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Memo to media organizations: RUNNING AFTER RELATIVES OF PEOPLE JUST KILLED WITH MICROPHONES AND CAMERAS AND BADGERING THEM FOR A QUOTE IS KIND OF A DOUCHEY THING TO DO. For the love of God, stop it. You do this after terrorist attacks and bombings and you do it after natural disasters and now you’re doing it after a plane crash. What’s wrong with you?

You know, it’s funny. When I was in Pakistan last month, I spoke on the phone with a Law student in the UK working on a thesis that covered the regulation of the Pakistani media. We spoke at length about whether or not there needs to be more “regulation” of the media. I spoke against it; my argument was that “regulation” has always been the state’s tool for censorship and that it should be avoided at most times. I spoke about the media, hopefully, over time, creating standards of ethics and decency organically, so that they would not require wholesale outside intervention. I still believe that — and besides, how would you externally impose “objectivity” and “decency” without stepping all over the right to free speech?

Nonetheless, this episode, amongst others, has really made me think. It goes without saying that on balance, I’d prefer a free and irresponsible media over a sedate but muzzled media. But that’s a false dichotomy. I’d really like to hear from various Pakistani journalists — I know some of you read this blog — and see what you think can be done.

The most obviously unfortunate thing is that when a channel does behave relatively responsibly and calmly, it gets absolutely no ratings. Remember good old Dawn News? Okay, the English language thing didn’t help, and neither did the Shah Mahmood Qureshi-wannabe accents, but I would also say that they weren’t nearly sensationalistic and loud enough for the Pakistani palate. Ultimately, we as consumers bear as much of the blame. Pakistanis talk a good game in blog comments and letters to the editor of newspapers and so on, but it appears that when push comes to shove, we want this nonsense.

karachikhatmal

@ the journalistic ethics training argument

contemporary ideas about journalistic ethics and objectivity comprise of providing the same amount of coverage to a single katushya rocket landing in some israeli border town as to the razing of an apartment block in gaza which had people living in it. there is only so much the books can teach.

i’m not defending the media’s actions in the plane crash incident, but when we talk about why and how the media should be policed, we tend to ignore certain important facets of the media.

for starters, it seems to exist to affirm mortality to its viewers. almost any kind of death, preferably in large numbers, is newsworthy in a way little else is. people seem to watch for how death is all around them, perhaps so that they feel alive themselves. that is an instinct that you can’t really do much to rein in – not without robbing the media of nobler aspects.

@ Omer et al

“The only people who CAN regulate the media in any way are the sponsors, the companies that advertise on the channels.”

i don’t think thats the way it should work. if WE turn off our tv sets, the sponsors would follow to where our eyes go next. sponsors would react to a moral outrage only if it meant less people watching their sponsored show. if the ratings don’t change, i doubt the sponsors would be dumb/moral enough to pull out.
Anonymous

Drawing parallels between Frankenstein and the Pki media would not be completely inaccurate.
Employing cheap methods of giving rise to misguided fear within the audiences at all levels (social & political)and blackmailing various entities (past govts/ organizations/ individuals) by employing third grade journalism tactics such as news levelling and news sharpening has become a hallmark of the local media industry.
And worst of all, hounding relatives of victims of tragedies of all natures for the sake of sensationalism!
Seriously there is a need for some check and balance
Because this monster is certainly spinning out of control!
Rohit

Sensationalism and insensitivity seem to be the modus operandi of South Asian media outlets. Lest people point to British tabloids and the like, it is worth remembering that for every The Sun, there is at least a Guardian. Name me one popular South Asian media outlet that remains popular and sensible. I can’t speak with as much authority on Pakistan, but look at India: The Hindu lags behind the Times of India significantly in readership (the Times has become a gossip rag sprinkled with real journalism is light doses). Even reputable TV news outlets like NDTV have reporters badgering post-flood victims, front line soldiers, etc. As you point out, the problem largely lies with the readers/viewers: we like to see reports from the front line, we like to see first hand reports…sometimes, these can cross the line. Its interesting to think about in the context of the WaPo Top Secret America project, or the WikiLeaks issue as well: where does good investigative journalism end and potentially harmful work begin?
Anonymous

How very sad this is.Life is certainly filled with swift transitions and none of us from one moment to another knows what awaits us.My condolences goes out to the families who lost their loved ones.

It is a shame that even in the time of crisis, media instead of showing compassion and comfort to victims, act as ghouls, harass the victims and the relatives of victims and show no sensitivity.

I remember when two months ago, Air India Express crashed at Mangalore, Times of India, just to sensationalize the situation,even published the last status update of the air hostess who died in the air crash on face book.Few reputed journalists even tweeted the last tweet of a passenger who also died in the crash.It just shows how media acts recklessly and irresponsibly.
takhalus

left to its own devices the media will always aim for the lowest common denominator. Ideally self regulation would be the best a fully empowered press and media council. I agree though it is far more likely that the govt would use any regulations as a means of control (which it is already doing but indirectly now)

the airblue crash is very tragic..
Tazeen

Dawn is still quite reasonable and they still have ratings problems.
Omar Bilal Akhtar

I’m glad you and Cafe Pyala addressed this issue Ahsan, the conduct of the Pakistani news channels has been deteriorating severely over the last couple of years, and they’ve been quite willing to abandon any sort of journalistic ethics that may have been established by the old print media.

I wholeheartedly agree that regulating the media through government will do more damage than good, and hence it isn’t an option. Hence the regulation of media should come from it’s own audience. Now the Pakistani public might raise some arguments against sensationalistic and invasive reporting, but it’ll have little effect. The only people who CAN regulate the media in any way are the sponsors, the companies that advertise on the channels. If they can pull their ads, express some sort of outrage or boycotting of certain channels, that’s the only way channels will respond.

So several things need to happen. The public has to force the hand of the sponsors into some sort of action that’ll regulate the channels.
Reporters need to be taught Journalism Ethics as a separate, integral part of their training, something that obviously doesn’t happen, (at least not to the extent that I’ve seen in the States).
And finally, there needs to be more voices within the journalism community, reporters, anchors, media personalities who will police their own and denounce this sort of sensational and invasive reporting.
Kuli Khan

First off I have to say thank god for 5 rupees. Secondly, the media really needs to get a hold of itself, especially the pak media. I was watching CNN and they kept apologizing because Geo had this f’ing stupid animation of a plane crashing into hill. They stopped showing geo after a while.
;a;a pathan

ur absolutely right, i knew some1 dear on that plane and i wanna bomb all these TV stations .
Mahwash

WTF @ the above comment.

And agreed with you on all points re. the media stupidities and insensitivities that go unnoticed. How come no one can make fun of Altaf Hussain and his f***ing party but these ‘journalists’ can badger bereaving citizens to their hearts’ contents?

Asian Correspondent Asia News

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