ISLAMABAD: Speakers including senior journalists at a dialogue here on Wednesday stressed the need for providing more coverage to public issues rather moving around political figures.

The ‘Media-Citizens Dialogue’ was organised by Individualland in which senior journalists and anchorpersons participated and agreed that the focus of media should be on public issues.

Peshawar-based journalist Hassan Khan said over 45,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Swat were still without shelter in the outskirts of Charsadda, Nowshera and Peshawar and waiting for compensation.

“Unfortunately, DSNGs of television channels remain at a standby on roads of Peshawar in order to break news of possible bomb blasts but the plight of IDPs is not highlighted,” he said.

Anchorperson Farhan Bukhari was of the view that unnecessary and exaggerated political coverage had blurred many burning issues in the country, adding reporting on economy, sanitation and other public issues was not even among the priority of the media.

“The press particularly electronic media must not indulge in reactionary journalism. Media should act as a moderator and should not become party to any issue,” he added.

Senior journalist Ikram Hoti said a section of the media was hell-bent on destabilising the government and invoking the public against state institutions, adding such kind of journalism would soon cease to exist as viewers and readers had become tired of sensational media.

“The media must identify loopholes and should give suggestions to government rather imposing its own view and exerting pressures on government on certain issues,” he remarked.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/24/2009