Express Tribune highlights decline in journalism quality

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 8 January 2022

Durdana Najam's column in The Express Tribune highlights the decline in journalism quality in Pakistan. She critiques the commercialization of media and the impact of influential businessmen on journalistic integrity.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Speaking of journalism in Pakistan, it had lost the vigor and spirit not to speak of integrity that it held when the editor's office was intact, independent, and conducted by professionals.

Durdana Najam, in her column titled "Culture of intellectual dishonesty," published in The Express Tribune, highlighted this in the context of the recently-leaked telephonic conversation of PMLN leader Maryam Nawaz with former information minister Pervez Rashid.

"The decline in journalism quality in Pakistan is attributed to the explosion of the private TV channel that races against time, which is just a fraction of the whole truth," she emphasized.

"When newspapers and channels went into the hands of influential businessmen, they became profit and loss entities, and journalists were reduced to salesmen. It is all about money and power. Those who cannot make money inside the sector try their luck outside."

According to her, if a sector's quality is declining, the responsibility primarily lies with the regulatory bodies. They must keep the leash of quality and excellence tight by identifying loopholes, gaps, and irrelevant interventions.

"Those who call journalists dogs or buy their loyalties are part of the prevalent culture of intellectual dishonesty," she concluded.