ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT): ‘There is a need to work for public interests rather than vested interests. Amid the rapidly changing journalism landscape due to the digitalization of news coverage and newsroom operations, information veracity and credibility have become a challenging task for journalists.’
These were the views expressed by media professionals in a roundtable discussion on ‘Responsible Journalism in the Age of Social Media’ organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS)
The discussion featured notable journalists from Al-Jazeera including Mr. Muntaser, Manager of Media Initiatives, Mr. Belal, Coord Media Institute, Mr. Osama, Global Correspondent, Ms. Anam, Mr. Faras, and Mr. Hashim, Media Experts. From the Pakistani side, Iftikhar Shirazi, Farrukh Pitafi, Rehman Azhar, Jawad Thehami, Nayyer Ali, Faisal Raza Khan,Saadullah Saeed Ahmed and Raja Faisal participated in the discussion.
Speaking on the occasion, the guest Speaker, Montaser Marai from Al Jazeera, said that information searching and sifting was a laborious and rewarding task whereas a journalist has to be objective and independent even reporting conflicts, rights issues, and corruption scams. He added that the information flow has become faster than our pace to tackle misinformation on social media and that demanded the journalists to shun conventional practices and modernize their reporting skills to learn countering fake content and disinformation.
President IRS, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, in his opening remarks, appreciated the international and national journalists for their valuable insights on the matter and for sharing their knowledge in the realm of digital reporting. He added that factual and authentic reporting has become critically important to maintain peace and stability in society and protect national interests.
Another guest speaker, Osama Javed from Al-Jazeera, said that the media viewership transformation has evolved over the years but electronic media in Pakistan was still operating the in 1990s era. There has been a deviation from news networks claiming high numbers amid suppression of news and mushrooming of broadcast media without any clear direction, he said. He added that media was not for breaking news but for verification of news, whereas the journalists would have to discover proper avenues amid the growing influence of digital media other than social media and re-envision public interest.
Iftikhar Shirazi, Bureau Chief of Dawn News, noted that social media was increasingly supplanting mainstream media and emphasized the importance of restoring credibility and self-accountability in the latter. Nayyer Ali, Secretary of the National Press Club, highlighted the necessity of educating the public on managing social media before implementing regulations.
Senior Analyst and Anchor at PTV, Farrukh Khan Pitafi noted that media coverage has shifted significantly from traditional newsroom practices, as social media has amplified the volume and speed of information, complicating fact-checking for accurate reporting. Faisal Raza Khan highlighted that while the journalistic landscape has evolved, journalists and editorial staff have not adapted to these emerging trends and the new reporting environment.
The event was well attended by senior journalists, reporters, researchers, academics, and students.
