Fake news a threat to journalism, say senior journalists
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 8 November 2018
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Two senior journalists, Hamid Mir and Salman Masood, expressed concerns that fake news and social media are jeopardizing journalism. They emphasized the importance of accurate reporting over unverified gossip.Summary
ISLAMABAD: Two journalists on Thursday opined that fake news and social media have become a threat to journalism.
In a tweet, Hamid Mir (pictured, left) said: “Fake news is biggest threat to media freedom, promoters of fake news are actually hostages of their personal likings and dislikings.”
He was commenting on a tweet by Salman Masood (pictured, right), who thought that “many journalists have become hostage to WhatsApp groups’ gossip and unverified chatter.”
Masood is a correspondent of the New York Times in Pakistan.
He reminded journalists of their job: “Their main job is to report accurately after talking to officials and solid sources, not to simply act as vessels of unverified and sensational WhatsApp group content.”
Key Points
- Fake news is cited as a significant threat to media freedom.
- Hamid Mir criticized promoters of fake news for personal biases.
- Salman Masood urged journalists to rely on credible sources.
- The discussion took place on social media platforms.
- Gossip and unverified information hinder journalistic integrity.
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