I came back from Tehran last week. It was quite peaceful at that time there compare to hysteria being projected on television channels and social networking websites. I am in touch with my colleagues in Tehran and they say that riot and protests they can only see on television screen. Life is quite peaceful over there but hyping the nonexistent is perhaps compulsion of 24x7 news channel.
Before I move let me tell you the truth of Iran elections. Except North Tehran entire country was supporting Ahmadinejad. So the result did not came as surprise who were working there on ground level. But all the media houses are in north of Tehran. All the foreign media people were staying there as this is the richest part of the country. Media reported and projected Mousavi a winner because north of Tehran was crazily going green. Media never stepped out of its convenient zone to know the reality on ground. As media’s projection went horribly wrong, it started creating suspicions of rigging in elections or some sort of wrongdoings in counting of votes just to gain some lost credibility. Some also started warning of another revolutions. It hyped the matter so much that Iran government had to take some regrettable unnecessary precautions which is now being turned as dictatorial steps.
On 13th of June almost half of Tehran was assembled at interior ministry to know the victor. As result came there was some scuffle with police by Mousavi supporters as they could not take defeat so graciously after so much of hype. But that was it. There was no large public protests or riot after that. But media kept showing that footage for 4-5 days and created a riot like situation on small screen. Then some drunk kids (10-12) to get some easy publicity started vandalizing the atm machines and bus depot every evening in African Avenue where all the media people were staying. Those were the fresh pictures. And now as most of foreign media people have been sent out of Iran everyone is depending on youtube pictures only god knows how true they are. I wish if Iran government could have let media report the truth, they could have saved themselves from lots of embarrassments. Media like to report truth but if prohibited from doing so it reports anything to fill the breaking news sections.
This is just one example. I see it happening everyday. In the name of voicing the voiceless media has been setting uncalled pace to lots of false news story. Making huge of something which most of the time does not exist. Almost everyone in this business does it…creating non-fictions from fictitious stories.
This is high time when we should start taking precautions. People are aware now. They can distinguish between a true story and false one. It is affecting media's credibility. If we keep on running on this mad race then time is not far away when people will stop watching news. No, in fact some will keep watching who love fictitious reality shows. But that will surely change our identity which we definitely do not want. Grab the choice please…
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