Pen - they say, is the most powerful weapon. It has the power to express feelings, thoughts, ideas as well as the power to shape opinions and perceptions. The latter part is when it can actually be used to exploit, and like weapons, becomes counterproductive, if an individual has ill intentions. It has become quite apparent that several journalists have their own "hidden" agenda in what they write and they need to be held accountable. The onus lies on those giving them platform and space to express.
Who will do Journalists' Accountability?
One such case was the infamous Shamsul Anwar fraud. On January 10th The News published a story by Shakeel Anjum (http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=86770&Cat=6) of an ill-fated man whose family became targets of terrorists. And of course Imran Khan, our favorite bashing person, was shown to be a lesser man than Chaudhry Nisar when it came to his son's treatment for Cancer. But something strange happened, a story that was probably supposed to slip through the cracks, got youngsters attention. The social media got activated and started to collect donations to help this poor man's plight. And then the most heart breaking news broke - the story turned out to be a fraud and youngsters trust shattered. But amazingly there was no remorse or rebuttal from either The News (of not validating the story) or action against the journalist. He still writes for The News.
Analysing a Journalist's inclination - Umar Cheema(The News)
This brings me to the actual reason for this blog - another The News journalist - Umar Cheema. I am not going to dwell into a particular story and start writing against it. And one news is not enough to show some ones agenda. It is a series of stories trying to create a perception. They say if a lie is told over and over again - it eventually becomes a "truth".
"the most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly and with unflagging attention. It must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over"
This is why it is important to review series of stories by Umar Cheema Here is a list of all articles written by him (http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintWriterName.aspx?URL=Umar+Cheema). My analysis is based on his articles after October 30th, since the political landscape of Pakistan changed significantly.
Bulk of Umar Cheema's stories are on Government's misgovernance and struggle against state institutions, the establishments "evil" designs for missing people or Osama Bin Laden's hideout and few articles on Pakistani Journalists and Supreme Court challenges.
But when it comes to PTI and PML-N there is a serious shift in Umar Cheema's projection.
Umar Cheema (The News) and PTI
Since October 30th Umar Cheema has written 9 articles against PTI. One spectacular piece(http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-84579-Results-of-youth-survey-motivated-Imran) where Umar Cheema gets a peek into Imran Khans mind and his motivation of attracting youth - although since 1994 Imran Khan has belief in youth changing the fate of Pakistan and in fact 2007 Punjab University incident he went first to the youth to mobilise them for judiciary independence, and Umar Cheema says that it was 2009 survey that motivated him. Read the article and make your opinion.
What is even more sinister is that how Umar Cheema, even unrelated articles, tries to drag Imran Khan or PTI. For instance - take the example of mispronouncing Turkish Prime Minis Erdogan's name (http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-109739-Mispronounced-but-still-loved). Although he bulks everyone in - but Imran Khan, his favorite, is the only one who gets mentioned.
Similarly, when talking about Dynasty politics(
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-12968-Political-parties-being-run-as-family-limited-companies ) while for PPP and PML-N only top leadership is highlighted (Zardari and Sharifs), PTI gets the special privilege of going down to second and third in the hierarchy because Umar Cheema doesn't have anything concrete. And interestingly even misquoting that Imran Khans sister has role in PTI as well.
Here are the other 9 stories by Umar Cheema trying to create a negative sentiment towards PTI.
1. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-82447-Imrans-new-media-czar-was-his-strongest-critic
2. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-83171-Watching-the-PTI-newcomers-from-the-sidelines
3. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-11231-NAB-tainted-ex-IG-slips-into-Imrans-PTI
4. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-84393-PTI-embraces-another-relic-of-the-past
5. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-84579-Results-of-youth-survey-motivated-Imran
6. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-88500-Attempt-to-whitewash-PTI-newcomers-fails
7. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-110545-Why-Jemima-Khan-entered-into-a-benami-transaction-with-Imran
8. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-110715-Why-Jemima-Khan-did-a-benami-transaction-with-Imran
9. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-112376-PTI-changes-constitution-to-open-gates--for-those-accused-of-corruption
Umar Cheema (The News) and PML-N
But here is the interesting aspect. Although it seems Umar Cheema has only negative bone in body for political players - be it PTI, Government or Military - but for PML-N he seems to have a different opinion and projects them in a different light. From singing songs of Punjab CM(http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-107632-Shahbaz-pays-for-all-his-visits-from-his-pocket), to trying to twist the Mehran Gate in favour of PML-N (where PPP tried to topple PML-N Government)
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-13046-Another-Mehrangate-in-Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Even calamities like Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Umar Cheema ignored the plight of the patients, Punjab Drug regulation and labs condition and Chief Minister having Health Minister portfolio along with several others, and instead the only news he could muster was about two honest brothers linked to the Punjab Government.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-90569-Drug-crisis-pitches-two-honest-brothers-against-each-other
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-90724-Drug-crisis-pitches-2-honest
The only story that he writes projecting PML-N slightly negative and after initial mention quickly shift the blame to the Government and then eventually takes it to the rest of the world, totally forgetting he started with PML-N.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-95387-PML-N-only-paying-lip-service-to-check-agencies
The Bottom Line vs. The Balancing Act
One has to realise before believing a news communicated by a Media Group. The fact is Media Groups are businesses, and for them the bottom line - profits matter. And if they come through back door channels, they will count them in. Some might call it lobbying other funding or sponsoring. But it is our responsibility to filter news and connect the dots. Only then we would be able to avoid manipulation of our mind.
What the media groups dont understand is how social media is the balancing act.
Next stop - Tariq Butt of The News!
PS: My comments on the News comes from the fact that it is the daily newspaper subscribed at my home.
Who will do Journalists' Accountability?
One such case was the infamous Shamsul Anwar fraud. On January 10th The News published a story by Shakeel Anjum (http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=86770&Cat=6) of an ill-fated man whose family became targets of terrorists. And of course Imran Khan, our favorite bashing person, was shown to be a lesser man than Chaudhry Nisar when it came to his son's treatment for Cancer. But something strange happened, a story that was probably supposed to slip through the cracks, got youngsters attention. The social media got activated and started to collect donations to help this poor man's plight. And then the most heart breaking news broke - the story turned out to be a fraud and youngsters trust shattered. But amazingly there was no remorse or rebuttal from either The News (of not validating the story) or action against the journalist. He still writes for The News.
Analysing a Journalist's inclination - Umar Cheema(The News)
This brings me to the actual reason for this blog - another The News journalist - Umar Cheema. I am not going to dwell into a particular story and start writing against it. And one news is not enough to show some ones agenda. It is a series of stories trying to create a perception. They say if a lie is told over and over again - it eventually becomes a "truth".
"the most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly and with unflagging attention. It must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over"
This is why it is important to review series of stories by Umar Cheema Here is a list of all articles written by him (http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintWriterName.aspx?URL=Umar+Cheema). My analysis is based on his articles after October 30th, since the political landscape of Pakistan changed significantly.
Bulk of Umar Cheema's stories are on Government's misgovernance and struggle against state institutions, the establishments "evil" designs for missing people or Osama Bin Laden's hideout and few articles on Pakistani Journalists and Supreme Court challenges.
But when it comes to PTI and PML-N there is a serious shift in Umar Cheema's projection.
Umar Cheema (The News) and PTI
Since October 30th Umar Cheema has written 9 articles against PTI. One spectacular piece(http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-84579-Results-of-youth-survey-motivated-Imran) where Umar Cheema gets a peek into Imran Khans mind and his motivation of attracting youth - although since 1994 Imran Khan has belief in youth changing the fate of Pakistan and in fact 2007 Punjab University incident he went first to the youth to mobilise them for judiciary independence, and Umar Cheema says that it was 2009 survey that motivated him. Read the article and make your opinion.
What is even more sinister is that how Umar Cheema, even unrelated articles, tries to drag Imran Khan or PTI. For instance - take the example of mispronouncing Turkish Prime Minis Erdogan's name (http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-109739-Mispronounced-but-still-loved). Although he bulks everyone in - but Imran Khan, his favorite, is the only one who gets mentioned.
Similarly, when talking about Dynasty politics(
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-12968-Political-parties-being-run-as-family-limited-companies ) while for PPP and PML-N only top leadership is highlighted (Zardari and Sharifs), PTI gets the special privilege of going down to second and third in the hierarchy because Umar Cheema doesn't have anything concrete. And interestingly even misquoting that Imran Khans sister has role in PTI as well.
Here are the other 9 stories by Umar Cheema trying to create a negative sentiment towards PTI.
1. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-82447-Imrans-new-media-czar-was-his-strongest-critic
2. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-83171-Watching-the-PTI-newcomers-from-the-sidelines
3. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-11231-NAB-tainted-ex-IG-slips-into-Imrans-PTI
4. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-84393-PTI-embraces-another-relic-of-the-past
5. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-84579-Results-of-youth-survey-motivated-Imran
6. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-88500-Attempt-to-whitewash-PTI-newcomers-fails
7. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-110545-Why-Jemima-Khan-entered-into-a-benami-transaction-with-Imran
8. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-110715-Why-Jemima-Khan-did-a-benami-transaction-with-Imran
9. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-112376-PTI-changes-constitution-to-open-gates--for-those-accused-of-corruption
Umar Cheema (The News) and PML-N
But here is the interesting aspect. Although it seems Umar Cheema has only negative bone in body for political players - be it PTI, Government or Military - but for PML-N he seems to have a different opinion and projects them in a different light. From singing songs of Punjab CM(http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-107632-Shahbaz-pays-for-all-his-visits-from-his-pocket), to trying to twist the Mehran Gate in favour of PML-N (where PPP tried to topple PML-N Government)
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-13046-Another-Mehrangate-in-Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Even calamities like Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Umar Cheema ignored the plight of the patients, Punjab Drug regulation and labs condition and Chief Minister having Health Minister portfolio along with several others, and instead the only news he could muster was about two honest brothers linked to the Punjab Government.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-90569-Drug-crisis-pitches-two-honest-brothers-against-each-other
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-90724-Drug-crisis-pitches-2-honest
The only story that he writes projecting PML-N slightly negative and after initial mention quickly shift the blame to the Government and then eventually takes it to the rest of the world, totally forgetting he started with PML-N.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-95387-PML-N-only-paying-lip-service-to-check-agencies
The Bottom Line vs. The Balancing Act
One has to realise before believing a news communicated by a Media Group. The fact is Media Groups are businesses, and for them the bottom line - profits matter. And if they come through back door channels, they will count them in. Some might call it lobbying other funding or sponsoring. But it is our responsibility to filter news and connect the dots. Only then we would be able to avoid manipulation of our mind.
What the media groups dont understand is how social media is the balancing act.
Next stop - Tariq Butt of The News!
PS: My comments on the News comes from the fact that it is the daily newspaper subscribed at my home.
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