RIUJ concerned about media coverage of 5-year-old girl
- September 17, 2013, 6:58 pm
- National News
- 136 Views
ISLAMABAD, Sept 17 (Online): Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) in a statement appealed to media not to overplay the issue of 5-year-old rape victim and follow certain ethical lines about the coverage of rape cases particularly if it involved a minor child.
The newly elected body of the RIUJ led by its President Afzal Butt, also appealed to the political parties not to politicize the issue by visiting the victim. Instead, they should raise pressure for the arrest of the accused in the Parliament.
"Such cases need to be cover with utmost care and family consent must be sought," it said in a statement.
Media created too much hype of the issue, which perhaps may not help her case but on the contrary added in family's trauma. Some of the newspapers had even published the photograph of the victim while some channels including state owned PTV and print media also gave her name. All this is the violation ethical code and it is against the basic ethical norms.
RIUJ believe that all the Editors and Director News, must play their role and programing heads must also handle the story with care. The case should not be use for "ratings," it said.
RIUJ wonders whether channels have any SOP or not, about the coverage of such heinous crimes. How much coverage is required for such stories and how it should be treated whether its a 5 years old from Lahore, 13- years from Faisalabad or 14 years from Sanghar?
RIUJ appealed to the Pakistan Broadcasters Association, PBA, All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) and Pakistan Federal Unions of Journalists (PFUJ) and all Director News of tv news channels and professional editors to urgently agreed on certain SOPs for the coverage of such event.
RIUJ suggested that the news channels and print media must keep in mind the impact of such stories on a society particularly on children. Merely putting PG, asking children not to watch may not help much.
Instead, our coverage should be reasonable but not overboard. Secondly, selections of words and language should also be kept in mind. Thirdly, everyone including police should know that a five year's old child can’t record her statement or tell about her stories.
News should not be missed and there is also no doubt that it was the most henious crime. It was a big story but the problem is in handling the news like in Sikhandar's case.
Have we taken family's consent as they are the victim and for them it is an unending trauma? Whether showing the child's visuals time and again also required a serious debate, RIUJ said in a statement.
RIUJ will soon call the meeting of all the senior journalists, editors and owners from print and tv channels to address this issue more serious particularly on its coverage.
