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It is the imperative duty of a
journalist to take up the cause of the oppressed and the
downtrodden. There can be a social transformation if
journalists followed the norms set for their working. The
authors point out that since the media power can be used both
for human emancipation and human destruction, it is a most
difficult situation as it is the moral duty of a journalist to
work for the welfare of mankind.
Information
in journalism is taken as a social good and not as a
commodity. The 12 international principles of professional
ethics accepted at a Paris meeting of international and
regional organisations of professional journalists include
journalist’s dedication to objective reality, journalist’s
social responsibility, people’s right to true information,
journalist’s professional integrity, respect for universal
values and diversity of cultures promotion of a new world
information and communication order.
In Chapter
III, they deal with journalistic ethics in the Indian
perspective and shed light on the working of the Press Council
of India, whose basic object is to preserve the freedom of the
press and maintain and improve the standards of the working
newspapers and news agencies in India. Pointing to the
unethical standards, the authors cite an example of a
vernacular paper, "Swatantra Bharat" of Varanasi,
which had originally given the figure of 15 in the story
relating to the dead "karsevaks" in the Ayodhya
police firing in a special bulletin on November 2, inserted at
the last minute the figure 1 by hand to make it 115. The item
remained credited to the news agency even after the change.
Although
advocates of journalistic ethics are vociferous in their
criticism of obscenity, newspapers and magazines vie with each
other and pride in giving obscene or semi-nude pictures,
especially in commercial advertisements to cater to the taste
of bohemian readers. Recently, there has been a spate of the
magazines which thrive on vulgarity and nudity. Although they
claim creating sex awareness among adults as their object,
they transgress this limit and cater to the Carnal tastes of
the gullible adult readers. Plagiarism is another journalistic
norm so often violated by journalists.
In one of its
guidelines the Press Council of India has urged journalists
and especially financial reporters to refrain from accepting
any gifts/grants/concessions/facilities, etc. in cash or kind.
(But who follows this guideline?) In chapter IV the authors
deal at length with press laws. They cite as an example a case
of the contempt of court by an important English daily in
which the Supreme Court took exception to the words,
"Politics and policies have no place in the pure region
of law, and courts of law would serve the country and the
Constitution better by discarding all extraneous
considerations and uncompromisingly observing divine
detachment which is the glory of law and the guarantee of
justice." The words "extraneous considerations"
attracted contempt law.
In chapter
VII, they deal with ombudsman, which the authors point out is
the concept adopted only by the Times of India in the country
whereas it is popular outside the country. The basic concept
of ombudsman is to improve journalistic practices in the
newspaper so as to make it more responsive and accountable to
its readers.
The authors
suggest that in reporting cases of communal violence, much
more caution is needed. They give several examples in support
of their contention that newspapers had flashed bold headlines
which flare up communal tension whereas the reports did not
support gravity of the situation to warrant such headlines.
There are 30
appendices in the book which cover subjects like principles
adopted by the Congress of the International Union of Press
Association (1936 Prague), FAJ, Arab Code of Ethics, American
Society of Newspaper editors Statement of Principles, Mexico
Declaration, NUJ Declaration (1981), AINEC Code of Ethics,
International Principles of professional ethics in journalism,
relevant Acts relating to the Press, summary of rights and
responsibilities of journalists.
In the
introduction to the book, V.N. Narayanan, a former editor of
the Hindustan Times, has observed, "There are of course
restraints to journalistic freedom but most of these come not
from the state but from within the newspapers and from within
the profession. The external threats come from the goon
brigades of politicians, the suitcases of corporate
executives, militant threats, etc... A toothless Press
Council, ignored by newspapers engaged in price wars and
circulation battles and identityless professional
organisations shying away from taking definite stands on
delinquent behaviour within journalism have had the effect of
pushing professional ethics and norms into the background. The
Fourth Estate is now as much in bad odour as politicians and
corrupt bureaucracies".
At present,
he laments, the Scott dictum of "Comment is free, facts
are sacred" is being reversed as "news is free,
comments are sacred". But strange as it may sound the
editors are finding themselves helpless to observe
journalistic norms, which sound good in print but difficult to
implement. For example, editors have indulged in plagiarism
and sensationmongering.
This comprehensive
well-written book offers a wealth of information for the
benefit of professional journalists, students of journalism,
laymen who are anxious to know the principles of journalistic
ethics. The appendices provide most useful information and add
to the utility of the book. The price difference in a
hardcover (Rs 250) and a paperback edition (Rs 100) is
unjustified.
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