Sensitive Press and Unifying the National ranks
Dr. Taha Farie Ghaleb
In our current reality, press represents an important platform to reach a large segment of audience as the news or press reports conveyed by the press or the articles published can evoke a wide range of emotions and feelings within this audience. It may rather change the state of mind of people from hope to fear, from stability to anxiety, thus, their states may change from frustration in a certain position to belief and this is due to the journalist’s choice of the style he/she uses in the presentation, as well as the words chosen to express the issue or problem he/she is dealing with and the approach which he/she follows in addressing his/her audience. Then it is up to the journalist himself to choose between professionalism and objectivity in dealing with his audience and between presenting emotions and feelings in the presentation and opinion he provides to them.
In fact, there are those who raise a number of questions that deserve to be taken into consideration and vetting by the journalist when dealing with any topic or issue to write about, namely: What are the experiences that have shaped my profession as a journalist? What perceptions do I develop about any conflict, and how does it affect my publications? And what are the messages that I am conveying through my work, and are they the messages that I really want to convey? These are some of the questions that the journalist asks himself regarding his journalistic profession, in order to remain within the objective and professional framework of constructive journalistic work.
From this point it was necessary to have what we can call the "self-awareness" of the journalist, meaning that he realizes his feelings and emotions towards the issues and problems he deals with in his news reports or newspaper articles, or his editing and writing of news stories, and to examine his inner self well to see where he stands exactly, and what is the extent of self-abstraction from any psychological tendency or sympathy towards those issues or problems. Then after those honest and transparent reviews with himself and his thought, he begins to address the truth and information with impartiality, professionalism and integrity, far from intimidation, amplification and exaggerations that do not express the truth required in any of them, and do not serve the target community in any way.
The sensitive press that is committed to professionalism in all its conditions is the one that must care about the public’s interest and take it into consideration more than focusing on what the public cares about or desires. It works on caring for the nation’s unity, avoiding dispersal of the people, sowing discord among them, and focuses on preventing the disease before waiting for its occurrence. It adopts the logical scientific analysis of the problem and the means of its treatments and avoids stirring up feelings, igniting emotions, and attracting attention, which may have become a characteristic of those working in the profession of journalism.
The sensitive professional press is the one that contributes to resolving conflicts, investigating the truth devoid of whimsy and self-tendency that may be observed or emerging from the writer or journalist intentionally or unintentionally, and unifying visions in order to bridge the gap between groups of society, and preserve the national identity of the people of the nation, which also represents an important axis and anchor in the unification of the entity of society and the cohesion of its social fabric. It is in the end the development, growth and positive journalism in addressing urgent life issues, which comes in its priorities to address everything that supports the unity of the Yemeni ranks and strengthens its fabric, especially in light of the conflicts between its sons; all of this is far from excitement, spreading discord, and deepening the gap between members of society.
Based on this concept of journalism, we can describe it as positive journalism that touches the reality and aspirations of the people and contributes with all transparency to the search for solutions and treatments to many of their issues. It can, without any doubt, play an active and important role in uniting the national ranks, consolidating national values, and supporting the efforts made. It seeks to bridge the gap between viewpoints and narrow the differences that lead to division and conflict.
Based on this concept, researchers and experts in the field of media and communication see that the journalist should take into account the standards of sensitive journalism, realize the strengths of his news reports affecting individuals and governments, see himself as a means of communication between information and the target audience, improve the choice of words he uses, be widely aware of issues and people, and avoid using language and concepts that prejudge matters and spreading stereotypical views as much as possible.
Hence, he should be aware that, in addition to being a journalist, he is a citizen who must direct his sincere feeling with all objectivity and honesty to address national issues from all angles, and to take all fair opinions that are in the interest of the nation and support its unity and preserve its threatened entity. So, before working on transmitting information and news in times of conflict, he must take a closer look at his emotions, and search for intellectuals with diverse opinions who seek to find solutions and not to provoke and ignite disagreements and conflicts that do not serve the homeland or society.
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