Untrained social media journalists threaten ethics, credibility of Kashmir’s media

Srinagar, March 11: The mushrooming of self-styled journalists on the social media landscape in Kashmir has raised concerns about erosion of professionalism ethics in the field.

While digital platforms have made it easier for people to share news, the spread of unverified information, sensationalism, and bias has weakened ethical standards and eroded public trust in the profession.

This issue has been compounded by lack of regulations from authorities, who have rather honoured self-proclaimed journalists running Facebook pages. Critics argue that recognising untrained individuals devalues the work of professional journalists and sets a dangerous precedent by overlooking ethical reporting standards.

Rise of self-styled journalists

In recent years, many social media pages in Kashmir have shifted from sharing cultural content and personal blogs to news reporting. These platforms have gained millions of followers. Professional journalists and consumers of media content however argue that such outlets weaken the integrity of journalism and promote misleading content.

Experts call for professional training

Danish Nabi Zargar, Head of the Media Department at GDC Baramulla, emphasised the need for formal journalism training.

“Skills can be learned, but ethics and professional conduct require structured education,” Zargar said. He further stressed that a lack of training leads to journalists failing in their primary duty of reporting the truth.

“A journalist’s first responsibility is to uphold the truth," he said. “If someone lacks training and does not follow ethics, then their reporting is not journalism, it's just content creation.”

However, he acknowledged that defining "trained" and "untrained" journalists is complex.

“Not having a journalism degree doesn’t automatically make someone untrained, the real problem is journalists who disregard ethics and spread misinformation," Zargar said.

Zargar called for a joint effort between media organisations and educational institutions to educate content creators on ethical reporting standards.

Journalism scholar Shahid Habib expressed frustration over the lack of action from authorities.

“The Press Club in Kashmir has failed to address the issue of how self-styled journalists are taking over the profession,” Habib said. He pointed out that even professional journalists have contributed to this problem by overlooking its consequences.

“Our senior journalists have never taken this issue seriously, which has allowed self-styled journalists to flourish," Habib said. “It is their negligence that has led to this situation. We need stronger regulations.”

Meanwhile, journalism students are turning to other fields like wedding photography and digital marketing due to the decline in the profession.

“A decade ago, journalism was a respected profession. Now, it is losing its credibility because anyone with a microphone and a smartphone can claim to be a journalist, " Habib said.

Freelance journalist Ilhaq Tantry said that the rise of untrained journalists is not only affecting credibility but also job opportunities for professional journalists.

"Some media companies now prefer hiring amateur journalists because they work for much lower pay," Tantry said. “This is hurting the prospects of trained journalists who have invested years in learning the craft.”

“Authorities are not addressing this issue. Every district has an Information Department meant to regulate media, but they are failing in their duty,” he said.

Tantry called on the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) to take action to protect the ethics of journalism.

“It is my duty to share the pain of my society,” said Haroon Peer, a social media journalist. “I verify news from multiple sources, analyse it, and share it. Social media helps spread the truth quickly.”

Peer, who runs a Facebook news page, said he does not aim to replace professional journalists but to ensure that no story goes unnoticed.

“We report what people want to see without censorship or political pressure,” he said. “Many professional journalists have to follow the policies of media houses, but we have the freedom to report anything.” “Not all of us spread fake news," Peer said.

“Some of us do proper research and report the truth. Traditional media should not dismiss all digital journalists as unprofessional ones.”

Future of journalism in Kashmir

While some have defended the role of social media journalists, concerns remain over their impact on the credibility and ethics of journalism in Kashmir. Experts warned that if this issue is not addressed, the profession could continue to lose its integrity, and aspiring journalists may turn away from it altogether.

“We need to act quickly to protect ethical journalism in this digital age,” Tantry said. “If we don’t, journalism might lose its credibility, and young people may no longer see it as a viable career.”