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(1/7) Indian media is facing it's greatest test - and failing. The situation is similar to the state of US media immediately after 9/11. I know. I was there studying and working as a journalist in New York. I saw first hand how US media was willingly blinded by hysteria & rage...
(2/7) I recall one senior American journalist in our newsroom turning to me and saying: "one day we will regret how we are behaving as journalists". Soon US media was trumpeting propaganda about Saddam and his nuclear weapons and even respected Colin Powell argued lies at UNSC...
(3/7) Eventually all lies stood exposed. As did US media's shameful performance. There was serious introspection among journalists with many asking themselves:"how could we have been so blind?" Today my Indian media colleagues are walking down the same path which they will regret
(4/7) In wake of Pulwama, Indian media seems to have lost all sense of balance, rationality and professionalism. There are still many respected Indian journalists who are trying to plug the leak in the bursting dam of credibility but they are being shouted down by crass voices.
(5/7) One day my Indian media colleagues will shake their heads in remorse over how they are behaving today. We in Pakistani media are no angels either but many of us still attempt to rationalise our thoughts & words before putting them out in public arena...
(6/7) My humble advice to Indian media colleagues is to substitute anger with prudence, emotion with rationale, bull-headedness with clear-headedness & spirit of revenge with spirit of enquiry. This is what you get paid to do. This is what you owe your readers & viewers
(7/7) We in Pakistani media have our own challenges and we accept them. But we have always displayed a healthy dose of scepticism towards official narratives, often to our detriment. Perhaps now is the best time for the Indian media to do the same. Try being sceptical - for once.
