In the contemporary era, a vast array of information, news, and opinion is readily accessible with a mere click. From traditional mainstream media to social and digital platforms, a plethora of content is in the spotlight. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge the role of media in shaping the narrative. The news networks with substantial viewership and a vast number of followers wield the power to influence public opinion. Ethical journalism, on the other hand, necessitates impartiality and the absence of bias, particularly concerning international media coverage. Narrative shaping can be harmful when it comes to serious issues like wars or conflicts between two countries.
The prevalence of realism and capitalism on the global stage primarily hinges on the acquisition of power, which predominantly manifests as economic supremacy. This hegemony, in turn, begets influence and dominion over other nations. At present, the United States holds the preeminent position in terms of influence and narrative shaping on the world stage.
The recent Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has given rise to a disturbing trend of hatred and blame game, with Pakistan being singled out as the primary enabler of the extremist group’s rise to power. Indian and some western media outlets have been quick to point fingers at Pakistan, despite the fact that it was done at the behest of the biggest champion of human rights, the US.
Major news networks based in the United States, such as CNN, wield significant influence in shaping the global narrative. Given the superpower status of the United States and its involvement in various conflicts and wars, certain major events like the Afghanistan and Iraq wars have received extensive international media coverage and impacted global perceptions. Despite being a staunch advocate of freedom of speech and running large press freedom organizations, the United States is actively seeking journalists who are on the run from it due to so-called ‘national security’ concerns. A notable example is of Julian Assange.
So quite predictably, when it comes to their ethical journalism and reporting, the US news outlets tend to follow a particular agenda in order to shape a specific narrative, and they have a track record of achieving success in constructing that narrative. Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC are among the dominant news channels with substantial international viewership within the United States.
When considering the eastern hemisphere, there are comparatively fewer wars; however, ongoing conflicts still have significant global importance and impact. The Kashmir Issue within India has been a hotly debated and ongoing topic for many years. India also plays a crucial role in shaping the global narrative due to the extensive coverage of Indian conflicts by domestic media outlets.
In particular, areas such as Indian Occupied Kashmir have limited access to international journalists and reporters. India employs soft power tactics to increase its global influence, utilizing cultural and culinary offerings to attract tourists from around the world. India Today, ABP, Times Now, and Aaj Tak are among the largest news channels in India with high viewership not only within India, but also in other countries. However, India does not consistently adhere to ethical journalism practices when it comes to providing accurate and unbiased information regarding Pakistan, China, and Kashmir issues, all of which are considered national issues. The narrative propagated by Indian media has kept many individuals in the dark about the significant loss of life in Indian-Occupied Kashmir.
In Afghanistan, numerous war crimes were committed not only by US forces but also by Australian forces upon setting foot on Afghan soil (Maqbool, 2022). However, only a handful of news channels reported on these atrocities.
The reason to narrate these two topics is to emphasize that the role of media and journalism is to shine a light on human rights violations around the world. Unfortunately, in the cases of Kashmir and Afghanistan, these conflicts have claimed an enormous number of human lives, from killings to deaths resulting from curfews imposed in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Despite the gravity of these situations, many countries remained oblivious to the atrocities due to the biased media coverage that followed a particular agenda to shape the narrative.
For instance, in Afghanistan, numerous war crimes were committed not only by US forces but also by Australian forces upon setting foot on Afghan soil. However, only a handful of news channels reported on these atrocities. Among them, Al Jazeera, a highly influential Middle Eastern news channel, distinguished itself by offering a counterpoint to the narrative advanced by CNN and BBC during the Afghanistan War. Al Jazeera reported on the war crimes perpetrated by Australian forces, including the killing of innocent civilians, and obtained footage from the body cameras worn by Australian soldiers.
Conversely, in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, Indian journalists had been reporting on the Kashmir issue to national and international media channels. However, the situation took a turn for the worse in 2019 when Indian forces escalated their brutal tactics. Since then, authorities have initiated criminal proceedings against certain journalists, compelling some to disclose their sources and subjecting others to physical assault. Despite such egregious violations, many Indian news channels deny the imposition of any restrictions on journalists covering Indian-Occupied Kashmir, and only those stories that align with the Indian government’s stance on Kashmir are being reported.
The recent Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has given rise to a disturbing trend of hatred and blame game, with Pakistan being singled out as the primary enabler of the extremist group’s rise to power. Indian and some western media outlets have been quick to point fingers at Pakistan, despite the fact that it was only a small faction of the country’s establishment that provided support to the Taliban during the Afghan war. The hashtag #SanctionPakistan has gained traction on social media platforms, with netizens from Afghanistan and around the world demanding UN sanctions on the already bankrupt country.
This call for economic sanctions is particularly ironic, given that the UN is largely funded by the US, which bears direct responsibility for the catastrophic events that have unfolded in Afghanistan. In the wake of the Taliban’s takeover, angry netizens have heaped blame on Pakistan for the tragedy, with some even suggesting that the country was solely responsible for the fall of Kabul.
Former Canadian diplomat Chris Alexander was one of the many voices to take aim at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Taliban’s rise to power. In a scathing tweet, Alexander remarked, “Putin’s Russia invaded Ukraine: the world sanctioned them. Pakistan is invading Afghanistan: what are we waiting for?” However, the accusations and finger-pointing directed at Pakistan are the result of a narrative that has been crafted and propagated by certain Indian and western media networks.
In the realm of news media, CNN and BBC reign supreme as two of the world’s most influential and widely-watched news networks. Yet, it’s important to acknowledge that both of these networks are controlled by major world powers, with CNN being an American news network and BBC representing the United Kingdom. While both the US and UK are known as democratic states with a firm stance on freedom of speech, it’s worth noting that these networks still adhere to a state agenda.
During the US war in Afghanistan, for example, the news coverage was directly linked to the state agenda, even when the international community was condemning the attacks on innocent civilians. Many of the deaths that were labeled as “killing terrorists” were, in fact, civilian casualties. Despite this, both CNN and BBC continued to follow the state agenda, raising concerns about their independence and impartiality. Only when other networks like Al Jazeera intervened, did the truth about civilian deaths come to light. The importance of independent and ethical journalism, free from any agenda or bias, cannot be overstated.
Thus, I would conclude by asserting that there’s now a need, stronger than ever, to ensure that news and information presented to the public is thoroughly fact-checked and free from biases that can lead to the spread of false information. Addressing the issue of fake narrative shaping is crucial in preserving the integrity of journalism and ensuring that the public is well-informed about important issues affecting the world today. It is the responsibility of journalists and media organizations to uphold the principles of accuracy and objectivity, and to promote transparency and accountability in the dissemination of news and information to the public.
