Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Madeh by Shk Mohammedul Baqir


Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Journalistic Ignorance

Sometime back I had written about an Arab Times article that wrongly projected the Bohra community. Similar cases popped up in India with the recent Mumbai Mirror article that raised the concerns of the Bohra Community. There headline was so vague that it drew abrupt comments from people who know less about the religious practices of Islam and the community. Then an appology came from the editor and the writer that all this was unintentional. The lord knows better. As far as my personal views are concerned I think that it was a attention drawing media stunt in hunger of popularity.
Recently, another incident occurred. IndiaTV in its exclusive news telecast of the marraige ceremony of a known terrorist, Baitullah, in Afganistan, the News channel showed a digitally manupilated photograph of His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) who is a respected religious leader of the community, an Ambasador of Peace. World Leaders have met him and bowed their heads in respect of his spiritual charisma. Much is known about him to the EDUCATED that all written would be less. The news channel broadcasted an image of him annoucing the Nikah (marriage ceremony) of Baitullah. A very ignorant act which IndiaTV editor claim to be a mistake.
News sestionalisation cannot be a mistake. Manupilating and digitally playing with a photograph on a news channel, mind well its not a movie, its a truth revealing news channel, cannot be taken as a mistake or unintentional act as claimed by India TV. This is an act of Journalistic misconduct and is totally unethical. Manupilating or digitally playing with an image can never be marked unintentional or a mistake.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcast should have a look into this matter and punish the news channel for misconduct so that people are not mislead, misguided by such publicity stunts which could not only flare violence against the entire community and its respected leader but also distort the image of truth in the eye of the common man. A stringent action must be taken by the authorities should it be proven a lesson for all and help promote better journalistic practices in the country. The pen has the power to over throw kings from their thrones and rise another to the skies, lets stop it from being used for injustice, crime and selfish deeds.