Media-Watch Groups

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The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said, “It is better for one if he takes his rope, gets up early in the morning to go into the mountains, cuts and brings a load of firewood on his back, and sells it, and eats from this and gives charity from it so that God preserves his self-respect. This is better than that he should beg of people who may sometime give him something but may also sometime refuse to.” [Bukhari]

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Media-Watch Groups

Pakistan has two media-related problems in the U.S.: biased reports and minimal coverage. Storiesare typically limited to the negative: a military takeover, sectarian killings or honor killings to mention a few.

Some may consider such coverage propaganda or just journalistic bias. Whatever it is, it's time for Pakistani-Americans to take a firm stand against the way Pakistan is covered (or not covered) by journalists.

Other minorities in America who have faced discrimination have successfully fought for fair media coverage of issues that concern them. One example is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) based in Washington, DC. CAIR hassuccessfully challenged the negative and often inaccurate coverage of Islam and Muslims in America.

You can play a role in improving your local media's coverage of Pakistan by starting a media watch group in your area. Here's how:

1. Put together a Pakistan media file.

Scan the newspapers, both local and national, for stories on Pakistan. Clip articles, tape radio and television news reports and documentaries. Look for items in sections other than just news, for example, travel, sports, food and culture.

For each media outlet, note how many times Pakistan is mentioned per month, per week, the topic of coverage, how many were about something positive, how many about something negative, etc.

2. Start writing letters to the editor.

A letter to the editor is a tool of communication, protest and praise. The letters page is often neglected but it's important to remember this is the one place in a publication where readers can hear your side of the story.

Letters to the editor typically protest something negative written in a previous issue. However, they can also be used to congratulate the newspaper/magazine on a well-written or informative piece.

3. Know the movers and shakers in every local media outlet.

Find out who is who at each media outlet in your locality. Who is the reporter on the "ethnic beat," religion, or world affairs? Who covers news? Who decides which stories make it into the paper or on air and which ones don't?

Keep all of this information in your records so you can contact the right people when you form your media group.
4. Form a media watch group.

Once you start writing letters, look for other people who can help you with the work. Look for those who are easy to work with, who write well and are committed and organized.

Also, try to find at least one or two people with some experience in journalism. This way, you can get some guidance and help with writing letters, articles and press releases.

5. Issue press releases about local Pakistani-American activism.

Your media-watch group should issue press releases on areas of concern to Pakistani-Americans. You should focus on anniversaries, politics and interesting events.

The key is to link Pakistan with local goings-on. These are the sorts of things that interest newspaper editors and television producers.

6. Hold a meeting with the local media.

Meet with local media outlets. Call up the managing editor and arrange a meeting to discuss the concerns of the local Pakistani-American community about the newspaper's or television station's coverage of Pakistan.

Use the meeting as a learning experience. Understand what makes a story newsworthy and how to help the publication or station in providing better coverage of Pakistan.

7. Share what you know.

Teach the local Pakistani-American community about media relations with seminars on topics such as writing a letter to the editor, who to complain to about poor or misleading coverage, how to get more coverage of Pakistan in the local media, etc.

8. Hone your writing skills.

This is something everyone in the group should do on a regular basis. The most practical and inexpensive way to do this is for your group's better writers to tutor and help the others in improving their writing skills.

It may be worthwhile to invest in a writing class. Many cities offer free classes through local community centers.

Date/Time Last Modified: 6/17/2002 3:48:30 PM