http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=83022&d=31&m=5&y=2006
Wednesday, 31, May, 2006 (04, Jumada al-Ula, 1427)
Media Should Provide a Balanced Voice
Khaled Almaeena, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The importance of the media in today's world simply cannot be
underestimated. "Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is
safe," said Thomas Jefferson the third president of the US and author of the
country's famous and much-quoted Declaration of Independence.
In today's world, the fact is that the press is freer and
journalists are more articulate and aware than Jefferson could have foreseen.
This is not of course due to any sudden outbreak of tolerance and goodness on
the part of the authorities in many countries. Rather it is the result -
foreseen or not, wanted or not - of the Internet, modern technology, citizen
journalism and the near impossibility of concealment.
What happens in the earth's most remote areas is known within
minutes, if not seconds, and in many countries, citizens have come to assume
the right to know to be as basic as the legendary rights to "life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness." In addition, there is a growing desire among people
for greater empowerment and a desire for greater control of their lives and the
instruments of government that impinge upon them.
Yes, people want to be governed and, except for a few
die-hard anarchists, they realize the necessity for government and its
controlling role. At the same time, they also want to exercise their God-given
right to express themselves and act according to the dictates of their
consciences.
Yes, the need for government certainly exists but its purpose
should be less to control than to fulfill the needs and expectations of
society. It is at this point that the role of a free and independent press
becomes important, vital and necessary. And here is also where the judicious
exercise of power and responsibility of those in authority can be measured.
In the Arab world, this last has normally not been a
possibility. For years the media in Arab countries have been either state-owned
or government-controlled. The classic situation of six of one and half a dozen
of the other! The Arab people, however, are also human and they too have access
to technology and the Internet. They have watched with great interest the
unfolding of events around the world during the last two decades - the breakup
of the Soviet Union, the arrival of freedom in Eastern Europe following the
collapse of the Berlin Wall, the opening up of China, the aspirations of the
peoples of Latin America and the reflection of these aspirations in
newly-elected governments. And along with all their awareness and observations
naturally came a deep yearning for a media that did more than hail and praise
the status quo, one that would focus on - and write sympathetically about -
their needs, their desires and their aspirations.
And so here we are, having arrived at the need for a free
press. By "free," I do not mean irresponsible or abusive. Freedom carries with
it responsibility, whether of the press or in terms of personal behavior. What
I mean in fact is an objective and realistic assessment of those in power, the
collection and evaluation of public opinion and finally, pinpointing society's
needs and desires. Generally throughout the Arab world, there is a need for an
enlightened society in which enlightened individuals encounter contrary views
and opinions, and are able to encourage and value intellectual differences,
rather than ignoring and suppressing them.
The media have a dual role - as entertainers and as guards.
The first is self-explanatory while the second is less obvious. As guards, the
media must play a critical role in holding policy-makers, corporations, local
authorities and others accountable for acts of omission and commission. In
other words, for what is done and what is not done.
The media should also provide a free voice to the
underprivileged and concentrate on social evils and social ills. Thus the media
and the press become safeguards against hypocrites, opportunists, demagogues
and charlatans. With this as a background, it should be very clear to the
authorities, especially those in the Arab world, that the media are a friend of
government and not its foe.
Freedom of speech and thought should be encouraged and we in
the media must highlight our own role, never failing to realize and keep in
mind that with this freedom, as mentioned earlier, comes responsibility.
Accuracy in what we report is our responsibility as journalists and also doing
our duty for the common good of our country is that responsibility's natural
pendant. There are simply no two opinions about it.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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