Limping ethics of the media

bristol | media and culture | opinion/analysis Sunday August 31, 2008 15:10 by Iqbal Tamimi - NUJ member in Bristol iqbasl at yahoo dot com Bristol 07947650061

Losing fairness and compassion

why we should we blame the youngsters for their bullying behaviour when we journalists behave in a way that lacks mercy.

Media is supposed to be the concious of the people

Limping ethics of the media
By Iqbal Tamimi

Every single day I am shocked by articles written by some colleagues, who lost their sense of fairness and compassion. It makes you wonder if the people who are supposed to represent the crème of their society as educated people can make such mistakes. And makes you wonder why we should we blame the youngsters for their bullying behaviour when we adults behave in a way that lacks mercy.
One of such examples is an article published by the Press Gazette on line on the 29th of August 2008 under the title ‘Sainsbury's magazine launches new look with McCartney exclusive’.
The article goes ‘Sainsbury's magazine has celebrated its redesign with an exclusive interview with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. The normally media-shy star, who recently went through a messy divorce with one legged-model Heather Mills.....’.
So the description of the star is ‘media – shy’ while his ex was described as a ‘one legged’..?
I thought when one is a qualified journalist he /she is supposed to have enough description credit in their vocabulary bank more than just only one that would discriminate against a person by mentioning his disability. The writer of the article could not fight the temptation to express her hatred for the lady. Mentioning that the lady is one legged has nothing to do with the article published about Sainsbury, and will not add any value to the article, besides the interview was discussing food, not his divorce. The article published on the Press Gazett is simply media bullying.
The ex wife of the star has a name and it was mentioned even though she has nothing to do with the content of the interview, there was no need to talk about her disability or appearance. Mentioning that a person has one leg lacks sensitivity, and a clear hint of loss of compassion, unless there is a direct need to talk about such disability.
I do not know why the desk of editors at the magazine approved printing such description, thus contradicting the broad lines of NUJ’s basic rules, and all norms regarding reporting a story.
Imagine how would it feel if one has written an article about the writer of the article describing her as a 50 % human, or a one eared journalist? How would she feel then?
I guess there should be a clear cut line between our personal emotions and stands of others on personal level, and the professional reporting. Media and journalism is a mission not a platform we can use to hurt others or get even.