It takes a while to realise that life has moved on while you have been busy tackling happenings in life. It was just 1993 when a fresh graduate was eager to apply everything she had learned in Mass Media Education.
Radio Oman and Television studios were exciting but it was no easy task. Mastering the pronunciation of Omani names as authentically as possible was not a smooth ride initially. To fall was only natural, but I had senior colleagues who took all efforts to get the right pronunciations varying from Q, Kh, G, Gh etc. They would hold their breath as I surfed through the names while reading news. Reading news is like surfing because the names are like the big waves and if we tripped over we could crash into the wave, then it is important to quickly recover the balance on the surf board.
One of the biggest chapters of Mass Media in my career was going through the guidelines set by His Excellency Abdulaziz bin Mohammed al Rowas, then Minister of Information. Whether it was etiquette or mass media law, the importance of news was stressed and that too on responsible journalism.
Professor Dr Sidney Hill Jr, Communications Expert and mentor had said to me knowledge is not enough, you have to learn to adapt to the policies of the organisation and represent them well. These were words of strength and nothing was going to stop this graduate.
His Excellency Rowas believed in the importance of culture and heritage and it was important to know the roots and the latest developments in a nation. Words that have stayed throughout the years have been, no matter where you are from, once you are on air, you are voice of Oman.
The policies for broadcasters have always been clear - not to use slangs and bring in English words while speaking Arabic. This discipline mattered. The 90s were bearing the fruits of the initiatives of the Renaissance and seeing developments far and wide and equal importance was given to all the sectors when it came to news coverage. This is where I also learnt about responsible journalism.
Still remember the time when the minister, while addressing a press conference said that times have changed and it is time for satellite television, and now it is time for parents control what children watched.
Today, of course, the mass media has evolved and social media has stepped in with the attitude of anything goes as long as it is viral or gets views. So some of the videos are marked by the platforms warning that the content is sensitive. And many people forget that there are consequences to what you post and one of the biggest impacts is on the image.
Organisations can search online about a person and all the details appear including the posts giving a deep insight into the mentality of a person. This is an era where attitude holds great importance in analysis and judgement can be done even before the person enters the room for the interview. An ancient saying goes as you are what you eat and I say you are what you watch. One way or the other you reflect what you watch - in behaviour or in thought.
Information is facts provided about something or somebody. News has the power to inform but it can be done with dignity and respect and as a matter of fact. The rush for breaking news has brought us to ensure that the information is right in the first place. Is it to create sensation or be part of the conversation.
Today there are more news channels and international news is at everyone’s finger tips. The individual can be his or her own news editor as they scroll through the net. The national policies on information exist and the individual also has their choice to create what they want to know. They do seep into the mind and have an influence. The thought of course is to the content creators - do we need a clear thought before we post? It was a great education to learn from the best. His Excellency Rowas is remembered for his various distinguished roles, most importantly he defined responsible and quality journalism.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
