JournalismPakistan.com | Published December 18, 2012 | Daud Malik
Join our WhatsApp channelISLAMABAD: It’s an annual scene, visit, and ritual at newspapers. The desk people are busy in their routine work in the newsroom, with reporters looking for news and of course press releases. The pace of work is slow, but soon it will become feverish.
Suddenly around 20 or 25 people swarm the office – they go to the reporters’ room and then mingle with the sub-editors while some chitchat with the news editor and the editor – that is if they are in the office.
Amid a sort of festivity, work comes to a halt as the visitors make it a point to shake everybody’s hands, smiling, sincerely asking about their well being.
As it turns out the visitors are also journalists who are contesting the press club elections, one of them makes a speech.
If the visitors belong to the group that has been winning the press club elections regularly, the journalist making the speech recounts the welfare steps taken for journalists and of course the promises for better days if their incumbency is assured.
The speech is hard-hitting if the visitors belong to the group that is trying to break the hold of incumbents. On the one hand, it recounts the miseries of working journalists and on the other the incompetence and alleged corruption of the incumbents. The speech ends with a couplet vowing struggle and new dawn where betterment is assured.
But luckily the speeches are not long - the visitors are in a hurry as they have to visit so many newspaper offices. In 15 minutes the group of contesting journalists and their supporters disappear, and the newspaper office is back to normal. Sub-editors and reporters go back to their work, discussing who will win, but they also know that they will not see these leaders and their supporters for another year!
Though plots and colonies for journalists are the main issues these days replacing the perennial problem of implementing wage board award, virtually no discussion takes place about the working condition of journalists – under which terms they are hired and fired, and if their jobs have protections, including health insurance, gratuity, and pension they have got. No discussion takes place on how to make the profession less hazardous.
The visitors will be back next year also, breaking the monotony of newsroom, albeit for 10-15 minutes, with same embraces, handshakes, and promises they wouldn’t be able to keep.
(The writer is a senior journalist who has worked for The News and Dawn)
March 24, 2025: Explore the 10 critical reasons why Pakistan's legacy media continues to disappoint, from political bias and corporate influence to digital transition failures and unsustainable business models in Pakistani journalism.
September 07, 2024: Pakistani media is under fire for its lack of investigative reporting, political influence, and censorship. With talk shows becoming monotonous and biased, the public is turning to digital platforms for real news. Read on to learn how Pakistani journalism is failing its people.
July 11, 2024: Explore the challenges and opportunities expat journalists face in the UAE, with insights from Imran Naeem Ahmad, a former Gulf News journalist. Discover the impact of censorship, career prospects, and the reality of working for leading newspapers like Khaleej Times and Gulf News in Dubai.
July 09, 2024: Explore the profound impact of censorship on Pakistani journalism. Delve into the challenges faced by journalists, the erosion of press freedom, and broader societal implications in a country grappling with media restrictions and government control.
July 08, 2024: Discover the critical role of local news in a globalized world and how grassroots journalism empowers communities, ensures informed citizenship, and strengthens our societal fabric in the age of global connectivity.
July 06, 2024: Explore the challenges facing print media in Asia, from digital competition to financial struggles, and discover how newspapers and magazines are adapting to survive in the digital age.
July 03, 2024: Discover how independent media outlets in Asia are transforming journalism by breaking barriers and shaping public opinion. Learn about the challenges and triumphs of these new voices in the media landscape.
June 28, 2024: Dive into an extensive exploration of the ominous challenges besieging Pakistan's print media sector. Delve into the heart of the debate on whether traditional newspapers can withstand the onslaught of the digital revolution.
April 30, 2025 Freedom of expression in Pakistan is under threat, as the 2025 Freedom Network report reveals increased arrests, censorship, and legal restrictions following amendments to PECA, posing serious risks to journalists and democratic values.
April 30, 2025 Dawn has criticized the Indian media's calls for war and condemned the banning of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, urging a rational response after the Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead.
April 28, 2025 India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news outlets and individual journalists, following the deadly Pahalgam attack. Tensions escalate as Islamabad demands a neutral probe.
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.
April 23, 2025 Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.