Avoiding the pitfalls of tabloid sensationalism

by Ltheef Farook

Over the years certain sections of the print and electronic media have virtually become propaganda machines of both local and foreign destructive elements.

This is not something new as this trend started decades ago. In the immediate aftermath of independence in 1948, the two leading newspaper organisations, Lake House and Times Group, did not incite rancour and violence among communities.

However, this tradition was shattered in the early 1960s with the emerge of the Dawasa Group of Newspapers.

For example, it was around August 1968 when the then Prime Minister late Dudley Senanayake tried to introduce a ‘District Council’ Bill in the Parliament to honour his pledge to the Federal Party for its support to form the National Government.

This was a mild form of power sharing, compared to what was offered subsequently to LTTE, which could have averted the subsequent militarisation of Tamil youths which turned this country into one of the worst killing fields in Asia.

However, Dawasa group opposing the proposed Bill, whipped up anti Tamil feelings. The opposition was so intense that Prime Minister Senanayake had to drop the Bill forcing the Federal Party (FP) to leave the National Government as they failed to provide the District Council, which they pledged to their electorates. When asked what was FP’s option the assassinated Federal Party leader A. Amirthalingam told me in the Parliament lobby that ‘Dudley genuinely tried to fulfill his promise, but racist forces blocked it. Inevitably FP had to leave the government and support it from outside’.

Explosive agendas

The multiplicity of voices in the media should not become a cacophony of half-truths, and must avoid the ills of rabid ethnocentrism and tabloid sensationalism. To do this, there could be several practical steps media organisations can take:

*Promote ethnic and gender balance in the newsroom.
Regular updating and internal review of editing and style handbooks.

*In-house workshops and training on conflict sensitive journalism.

*Greater cooperation between personnel in Colombo and grassroots level correspondents.

In the aftermath of the military defeat of the LTTE in May 2009 everyone expected politicians and the media to learn from past mistakes, bring communities together and move the country forward.

Unfortunately, all such hopes were dashed. Politicians continued to aim at vote banks while the irresponsible coverage in the media incited the Sinhalese against Tamils and, lately against Muslims.

The role played by certain section of the media in highlighting explosive agendas of small racist groups during the past regime indicated that the local media has no vision other than serving politicians paying no attention to the interest of the country.

Lately, some media institutions freely published, often with prominence, provocative outbursts inciting Sinhalese against Muslims and went to town with slogans to create sensationalism.

This country which emerged from a three decade long ethnic war cannot afford yet another carnage. However, the performance of certain section of the media since the end of the war demonstrated the need to ban all hate speeches, statements or any such material, which could poison the hearts and minds of people of one community against the other.

The situation was such that even the previous government, which openly promoted racism tried to introduce a ‘Code of Media Ethics’ to all print and electronic media.

In June 2014 organised violent attacks on Aluthgama, Dharga town and Beruwala Muslims made the local media a laughing stock. This was a disaster for the local mainstream media, which made an all out effort to cover up this carnage. However, the people were kept informed of the barbarity with minute by minute comments by several sources including mobile phones, sms, Facebook and twitter.

Hypocrisy

In one of the most shameful developments in the history of the island’s mainstream media, wide publicity was given to news and views of politicians and others who tried to hide this crime and put the blame on the victims. However, foreign media covered the carnage with all the details exposing local media’s hypocrisy and hostility towards Muslims.

Thus, the imperative need of the hour is not code of ethics but to strictly ban publishing and telecasting of hate speeches disturbing communal harmony. The present government which tried to introduce a bill to ban hate speeches appears to have abandoned the move.

It was under such circumstance that Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s speech came in Parliament on Thursday January 28, 2016 accusing the media of promoting racism.

When it comes to international affairs, Sri Lanka’s mainstream media has become a blind follower of the pro-Western media.

As a result, readers were deprived of the opportunity to know the truth about the situation concerning Muslim countries worldwide since the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1989. In doing so, they help hide the atrocities of war mongers and their evil agendas against humanity, perhaps for various incentives as accused by the prime minister.

Many Muslims countries were invaded during the past two and half decades. This range from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, now Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Bosnia, Kosovo and several other countries.

According to the United Nations report, around sixty million people, mostly Muslims, were made refugees, suffering in extreme conditions. These war crimes were never highlighted by local media in their proper perspectives.

Friends

Muslim countries have traditionally and historically been some of the best friends of Sri Lanka. In times of crisis they have been the first to rush to the island’s rescue, including their support in all international forums.

Around a million Sri Lankans are employed in the Gulf remitting around seven billion dollars annually which help sustain our economy. Do the local media highlight these positive sides?

This has been the pattern of the local media. Isn’t it time to shed racism being pawns in the hands of international war mongers, and provide the news and views, local and international, in their proper perspective in the larger interest of the people and the country?