Yesterday and this morning, I caught the brief news segments on 89.7 Bay while driving. I found it somewhat irritating to hear news, including yesterday’s tragic reports of lives lost in the Middle East, delivered in such a fleeting manner, and set against an incongruous backdrop of upbeat music. It felt as if these tragic events were a minor part of the schedule, diminishing their gravity altogether.
When human tragedies are presented to listeners like any other commercial product, we risk fostering a culture where everything is seen as consumable, frivolous, and lacking real importance. In this context, war and other significant events become mere content to fill airtime—hastily prepared and often researched reluctantly by editors just to meet scheduling obligations. It would be prudent to remind editors of their social responsibility, not only in choosing which news stories to broadcast, but also in considering the tone and style in which they do so.
These seemingly small details have a significant impact on society, often without us even realising it. Gradually, we are cultivating a culture where everything passes unnoticed, everything is consumed, and nothing is treated with the seriousness it deserves. This is why media outlets must remain sensitive to the direct or indirect narratives they are transmitting to their audience.
Journalistic ethics need to be revisited, taught, and properly enforced. I sincerely hope that the Malta Broadcasting Authority will take appropriate action across all media outlets.
L-etika tal-midja
Ilbieraħ u dalgħodu inzertajt l-aħbarijiet fil-qosor tal-89.7 Bay waqt li kont qed insuq. Bqajt kemmxejn irritat nisma’ aħbarijiet, inkluż dawk traġiċi bħal tal-bieraħ fejn ammont ta’ nies inqatlu fil-Lvant Nofsani, jitwasslu bi stil maħrub u fuq sfond ta’ ritmu mużikali kemmxejn ferrieħi… qisu mument mhux daqstant importanti fl-iskeda u fuq kollox, qisu xejn mhu xejn…
Naħseb li meta t-traġedji umani inwassluhom lis-semmiegħa bħal kwalunkwe prodott kummerċjali, inkunu qed ninstigaw kultura fejn kollox huwa konsumibbli, frivolu u mhux wisq rilevanti. F’dan il-kuntest, il-gwerra u stejjer ta’ rilevanza oħrajn, isiru biss materjal sabiex jimtela’ il-ħin, xogħol sfurzat u żgur mhux riċerkat indipendentament, li l-edituri jippreparaw kontra qalbhom biex jaqqdu l-obbligi tal-iskeda. Ikun xieraq li l-edituri jiġu mfakkra dwar ir-responsabbiltà soċjali li għandhom meta jagħżlu x’aħbarijiet jaqsmu mas-semmiegħ, u b’liema stil jagħmlu dan.
Dawn id-dettalji iħallu impatt kbir fuq is-soċjetà mingħajr lanqas biss nindunaw; bil-mod il-mod inkunu qed inrawwmu kultura fejn kollox jgħaddi, kollox jikkonsma ruħu u xejn ma huwa serju. Huwa għalhekk li entitajiet medjatiċi għandhom ikunu sensittivi għal kull forma ta’ narrativa diretta jew indiretta li jitrasmettu lis-semmiegħa.
L-etika ġurnalistika għandha tiġi riveduta, imgħallma u implimentata mill-ġdid.
