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Into the debris
By Shyema Sajjad
When I decided to write this, I had told myself that I will try and refrain from being repetitive and not comment similarly as I had done so in 2010. However, after seeing the coverage on the tragedy last night, I realised that when this country has repeated making all the same mistakes, why cant I repeat my statements. And so I shall.
Nobody learns from their mistakes here it seems. Perhaps nobody wants to learn for learning will require evolving and improving as a nation and that is something we generally do not like making an effort towards.
One hundred and twenty-seven people were killed in the plane crash last evening. I cant even make a guess on how many families and lives have been affected by those deaths and how many dreams and hopes shattered. But still, we never learn.
As I watched television reporters pick up debris from the air plane and make comments such as This was once a part of plane, now it is a part of wreckage I realised how desperate we are to convey information so desperate that we dont even think about what we are saying and what we are doing at the moment.
Every piece of metal and fabric lying on the ground, once was a part of the airplane. Making statements such as These seats had passengers sitting on them a few hours ago and now they are just burnt remains doesnt really add to anyones knowledge of what actually took place. Neither do such statements prod sentiments further. To borrow from what I wrote last time, They didnt realise that flashing honeymoon couple dead on their tickers, would not be any more hard-hitting than the deaths of all of those who were not on their honeymoon.
The media did not learn anything from the Airblue crash in 2010. Reporters infiltrated the grounds even before the rescue teams had started their work. Full marks given on their speed. Full marks given on their mindlessness. As media representatives hungrily rummaged through body parts, charred remains and precious possessions and allowed the camera to pan on them I wondered what those victims families must be going through that very moment. I also wondered what the feelings were when the cameras moved across to another scene and the reporter flung the belonging back into the debris. It was a prop and it wasnt needed anymore the cameras had moved on.
Be it the interior minister or be it the media, nothing brings them faster to the screens than death. As cynical a statement as this may be but in this country it seems as if everyone is a scavenger of death for nothing will give you a bigger spotlight and higher ratings than the news of death.
Blaming the police and rescue authorities for not controlling the media is not fair. They were there to do their job everyone has to be their own monitor. The medias job was to convey developments responsibly and it failed to do so again. It played with peoples sentiments, conveyed irrelevant bits of information and made their viewers watch scenes that will continue to flash across their minds long after the victims are buried. This is not journalism. This is exploitation.
The tragedy was also a great example of the perils of misreporting. Even before it could be determined what aircraft crashed and where, certain television channels started reporting the incident. From initially calling it a helicopter to eventually bringing in the captains credentials all the same mistakes were made. Again.
Yes, it was the airlines first flight to Islamabad. Yes, there was bad weather. Yes, the plane was old. Yes, it was near landing. Which one of these do you want to form your expert opinion on?
I cringed inwardly watching the reporting, hoping that this time no television channel will barge into a victims house to harass the family. But my great industry never lets me down, for that is exactly what happened. I had written the following line in 2010 regarding an airhostess who was a victim in the crash: They didnt realise that a mother of a victim was in shock before asking her what her daughter was like in person. Please read the sentence again for I dont need to re-word it at all.
Into the debris | DAWN.COM
The writer is spot on! This is not journalism, this is exploitation
By Shyema Sajjad
When I decided to write this, I had told myself that I will try and refrain from being repetitive and not comment similarly as I had done so in 2010. However, after seeing the coverage on the tragedy last night, I realised that when this country has repeated making all the same mistakes, why cant I repeat my statements. And so I shall.
Nobody learns from their mistakes here it seems. Perhaps nobody wants to learn for learning will require evolving and improving as a nation and that is something we generally do not like making an effort towards.
One hundred and twenty-seven people were killed in the plane crash last evening. I cant even make a guess on how many families and lives have been affected by those deaths and how many dreams and hopes shattered. But still, we never learn.
As I watched television reporters pick up debris from the air plane and make comments such as This was once a part of plane, now it is a part of wreckage I realised how desperate we are to convey information so desperate that we dont even think about what we are saying and what we are doing at the moment.
Every piece of metal and fabric lying on the ground, once was a part of the airplane. Making statements such as These seats had passengers sitting on them a few hours ago and now they are just burnt remains doesnt really add to anyones knowledge of what actually took place. Neither do such statements prod sentiments further. To borrow from what I wrote last time, They didnt realise that flashing honeymoon couple dead on their tickers, would not be any more hard-hitting than the deaths of all of those who were not on their honeymoon.
The media did not learn anything from the Airblue crash in 2010. Reporters infiltrated the grounds even before the rescue teams had started their work. Full marks given on their speed. Full marks given on their mindlessness. As media representatives hungrily rummaged through body parts, charred remains and precious possessions and allowed the camera to pan on them I wondered what those victims families must be going through that very moment. I also wondered what the feelings were when the cameras moved across to another scene and the reporter flung the belonging back into the debris. It was a prop and it wasnt needed anymore the cameras had moved on.
Be it the interior minister or be it the media, nothing brings them faster to the screens than death. As cynical a statement as this may be but in this country it seems as if everyone is a scavenger of death for nothing will give you a bigger spotlight and higher ratings than the news of death.
Blaming the police and rescue authorities for not controlling the media is not fair. They were there to do their job everyone has to be their own monitor. The medias job was to convey developments responsibly and it failed to do so again. It played with peoples sentiments, conveyed irrelevant bits of information and made their viewers watch scenes that will continue to flash across their minds long after the victims are buried. This is not journalism. This is exploitation.
The tragedy was also a great example of the perils of misreporting. Even before it could be determined what aircraft crashed and where, certain television channels started reporting the incident. From initially calling it a helicopter to eventually bringing in the captains credentials all the same mistakes were made. Again.
Yes, it was the airlines first flight to Islamabad. Yes, there was bad weather. Yes, the plane was old. Yes, it was near landing. Which one of these do you want to form your expert opinion on?
I cringed inwardly watching the reporting, hoping that this time no television channel will barge into a victims house to harass the family. But my great industry never lets me down, for that is exactly what happened. I had written the following line in 2010 regarding an airhostess who was a victim in the crash: They didnt realise that a mother of a victim was in shock before asking her what her daughter was like in person. Please read the sentence again for I dont need to re-word it at all.
Into the debris | DAWN.COM
The writer is spot on! This is not journalism, this is exploitation
