Media Vigilantism

[Wali Ahad]

Those of you who frequent Express tribune must have come across an interesting blogpost about Maya Khan's Morning show...
apparently the lady (Maya), accompanied by a whole group of moralists, chased couples in a park!! quite understandably an outpouring of outrage has followed on the internet...from cafe pyala to Defence forum, from teeth maestro to individual blogs the web has been set ablaze with protests against this form of vigilantism..even a petition is being signed against the program and the conduct of its host...

since journalism is arguably the most common optional subject of candidates, i thought it would be illuminating to discuss this program with forum members....plz delimit the scope of discussion to vigilantism, moral policing, rating wars in media and potential consequences of irresponsible media coverage.

please refrain from posting abusive/derogatory comments about the host..as much as she deserves the censure coming her way, we must conform to the standards of civilized discussion..(my-my i sound llike maya myself

[Call for Change]

Here comes my favourite topic haha
Maya Khan and her team's date hunt was the worst thing i ever watched on media. It was blunt and sheer violation of media laws and media ethics. I am a media student and each and everything i studied teaches me to respect and honour the privacy of people. the power comes with responsibility but this is the dilemma of Pakistani media that these people have the power but they don't know how to use it. Maya's so called a moral, ethical and in fact sensational and cheap publicity stunt can ruin the life of those who were exposed by her team. doesn't she know the behaviour and attitude of our society towards such things. those girls whom faces were on aired can be killed then who is responsible? If Maya was so much willing to address this prevalent problem of our society why she didn't go to the elite's cafes and hotels of Karachi because she knew that they have the power to react and stop her. She selected the parks where only that class goes which can't afford to go in high class hotels or clubs, they were easy target for her. I am sorry but Ms.Maya really deserves something worst. The violated the constitutional right of maintaining privacy of those people. she must be trailed by PEMRA.

[Wali Ahad]

i agree..if she really had the best interests of the girls at heart, she could have done a program on "the perils of dating" (which apparently include kidnaping and murder) WITHOUT airing the footage of the cornered girls...in a country where fathers and brothers are known to murder their female relatives on the merest hint of a scandal, she just endangered additional lives :@ as voice can easily be identified by the relatives, acquaintances etc

plus she lied to them about the camera being off..totally against the ethics of media and journalism!! manipulating bystanders like this

have you heard her justification?

nice post by Bina shah
Vigil-aunties – The Express Tribune

[Cute Badshah]

The host is such a shame and cheap. Utter violation of Media limits and misuse of camera. Did't she know how this footage can ruin their whole life. The worst thing is that she and other ladies are doing the show in fun and enjoying it. Who have given her this right of action. A flop host after I watched fake peer invited to her programme. This useless and cheap tactics for popularity is doing no good for others even if to one. Government's media department should take strict action against her with ban on this type of shows.

[Wali Ahad]

the problem with moral policing is that it degenerates into extremism itself..

on March 11, 2002, Saudi moral police (Mutaween) prevented schoolgirls from leaving a blazing building because they were not wearing correct Islamic dress; headscarves & abayas, and were not accompanied by their male guardians!!
according to witnesseses the police stopped men who tried to help the girls and warned "it is a sinful to approach them".

Fifteen girls died and 50 were injured as a result

source: BBC

[Cute Badshah]

Sama Tv and Host Maya Khan Apologised

[Wali Ahad]

latest development

she claims the show was fixed....no one's privacy was invaded, since they were all paid actors!

the reaction from other media people is one of skepticism :

"Also, given that your ethics are suspect, many are saying you simply found the two boys you filmed and paid them to say they are paid actors – that’s not too hard to arrange is it, ask many.

Lastly, do you realize that it is both unethical and a crime to show fake events and pass them off as real? Do you know there is a requirement to run a “reenactment” or “staged” on-screen graphic and/or mention clearly that the footage shown is staged? Where are the actors mentioned in the credits? Do you realize that by not mentioning the show was staged, you have misrepresented the truth, and many may assume this form of vigilantism is acceptable for them to do if it’s fine on TV."

some have also expressed sympathy for her, since she cried & revealed the abuse she has faced from online community...