Ekram Kabir’s article titled “Ethics of being unethical” which appeared in the Dhaka Tribune on November 8 deserves further opinions from senior newsmen.
When should a journalist covering a disaster or violence go beyond reporting to try to help someone in distress? Journalists are surely confused in such a situation. Some feel that newspersons should cover the event as news organisations have unforgiving production needs.
Deadlines are critical and failures to meet them are costly. But there are also opinions among journalists about their duty to save the life of a person in such a critical condition.
Like other emergency professionals, journalists are also the first responders to any event. Newsmen face unusual challenges in the midst of a crisis.
Journalists face many dilemmas in such situations. They need to understand the factors to be taken into account when striking a balance between respecting protective measures to shield survivors from the media, and discharging their duties to the public.
Personally, I believe that these are complex issues at the intersection of professional and personal ethics. Long ago, one of my teachers in the journalism department of Dhaka University told me that reporters should help those in need if they are the only ones in a position to do so.
Ekram Kabir in his article referred to a recent incident. It was noticed that a TV reporter, with a boom in hand, was asking questions to a wounded man lying on the ground.
The man had been carrying a bag full of hand bombs which exploded and wounded the carrier. This reporter, like many others, tried to collect an exclusive interview of the wounded person who at that time needed comfort, not questioning.
We have deadline pressures. We certainly have competition with others to put the exclusive first. But we, the journalists, sometimes forget that we have moral obligations to render assistance in a case where someone’s life is on the line or is in profound jeopardy, and no one other than the journalist can help.
Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, a project of Columbia School of Journalism says: “Despite the fact that we are all on a deadline, you must take the time to breathe, empathise and feel the pain of survivors and loved ones whom you interview and come in contact with. You need to process that pain yourself. Take time to consider the significance of this event for you as a person, as well as a journalist. Do not rush for interviews.”
But at the same time a journalist will surely argue that the primary obligation of journalists is to tell compelling stories that reflect the reality of the moment. I think the best is to do both.
We can here recall the story of Biswajit who was brutally killed by a group of Jagannath University Chhatra League activists in the old town. During a hartal at that time, Biswajit was trapped when a pro-hartal procession was chased by the anti-hartal activists.
It was alleged that when the Chhatra League activists left Biswajit in a critical condition, he was not taken to the nearby hospital by the TV reporters and cameramen despite repeated requests by the people there.
Nearly 12 vehicles of different TV stations were there, but Biswajit was taken to Mitford Hospital by a rickshaw-puller. The rickshaw journey was too long for him to survive as the he was profusely bleeding.
Reporters facing such dilemmas should ask themselves whether his/her ability to intervene is essential and needed. Dart Centre says journalists should understand their coverage. They must remember that their coverage affects people — the families of the victims, the survivors and the community.
Dart Centre further says: “Approach people the way you’d want to be approached. Give them the respect and space you’d expect in the same situation.”
