On Egypt's media, and the lack of self-criticism

Egypt's media, which is supposed to create constructive public opinion, can also push the country into retardation unless it reviews its performance and conduct over the past four years

In a meeting between presidential hopeful Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and a group of media personalities, he was quoted as saying that public opinion leads today's political scene, adding that the media is highly influential in forming that public opinion.
From this statement, I understood that the message to the media is that it bears a critical national mission in forming a patriotic Egyptian public opinion conscious of the facts on the ground and the overall crisis, or crises, facing the country, irrespective of who the next president will be. I also understood that media professionals must shoulder their responsibility in urging the public to labour, produce, partially sacrifice and withstand hardships until we reach development, breakthrough and liftoff.
Third, I also believe this message indicated that media professionals, especially prominent and popular ones, should be self-critical in order to create a new role for themselves in forming an ascending, cohesive society that is aware of everything around it. This is what I understood, and it has nothing to do with the presidential candidate or those who quoted him.
I know the culture of self-criticism does not exist in our Oriental societies, whereby anyone who practices it is viewed as a recoiling failure, rather than as someone seeking the truth by humbly and objectively reassessing his position or trying to promote what is better by abandoning what is adverse. I also know that many of us are too proud and insist on our positions, even when we realise that they may harm us and others, in order not to appear weak and in retreat before others.
We all forget the wonderful proverb, “Admitting error and returning to righteousness is the path to salvation.” Knowing this varying common behaviour among us should prompt us to urge media professionals to revise their positions towards the country, people and institutions. Media institutions must also revise their experience and conduct, especially in the past four years. Without this, much of what we criticise and reject, as ordinary citizens, will remain the same, and the overall media scene will remain murky, deceptive and misleading. Instead of creating a constructive public opinion, it forces the entire country into retardation.
The role of the media has evolved in both form and content and is no longer what theory books described as a means of relaying news, or a tool to promote ideas to the audience, as some media people claim. It has become a main player in formulating the political scene, ranking society's priorities, stirring collective feelings and fabricating heroes out of nothing. Some of these heroes are even guilty by national logic and reason due to their documented actions against the public good and intrinsic rights of the people, like torching libraries, schools, the Egyptian Scientific Institute, public institutions and boasting about their actions with arrogance and vulgarity.
But it is the media, or some of it, that sometimes tarnishes the truth, disfigures minds and creates illusionary heroes, focusing too much on the margins of things and ignoring the heart of the matter and its implications. It focuses on trivial and transient facts and ignores the crux of the event.
For example, the shallow media coverage of Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy's recent critical visit to Washington, in which he succeeded to connect with US decision-makers, informing them of the facts and correcting misunderstandings planted by malevolent Muslim Brotherhood forces in the US. Instead of focusing on the visit, its outcome, and what else is needed to further mould US positions that influence us, many focused on a metaphor that described relations between the two countries as a permanent marriage that sometimes faces problems, needs dialogue and mutual consideration. Perhaps the minister chose a faulty parallel, because of our Oriental traditions, but the metaphor is close to the minds of Americans who view marriage as a contract between equals.
Many media personalities have become political activists driven by their perspectives and biases before seeking the truth or being responsible towards the homeland. Others are chasing after advertisers and thus after anything sensational. Nonetheless, it is impossible to imagine a modern society without media or media professionals. The media is part of society and those working in this field reflect society's flaws, problems, positives, virtues and ambitions.
The presence of political activists in the form of media personalities does not mean there are no professional media people who are committed to their role of informing the public about the truth, rationally debating it and promoting sober thinking. They are committed to their duty towards the country and people, promote sublime values, and offset the poseurs and talentless in all fields. Some of them even sacrifice their lives in the line of duty as they seek the truth. Former President Anwar El-Sadat's statement that the press is the fourth power applies today to all forms of media -- broadcast, electronic and print. The media is a mighty moral power, for there is nothing more potent than the power to shape and direct public opinion.
The media we live with must face the truth, namely that its responsibility towards the country and people requires it to constantly evaluate itself, and reject all intruders, meddlers, sensationalism and distortion pros who fabricate false heroics. It must also draw up its own code of conduct to regulate its work without government or official intervention, based on its expertise and collective belief in its role in the coming phase. It is a phase of building a new Egypt based on labour, production, closer national cohesion, confronting the forces of evil and terrorism and isolating them. This is a serious task that leaves no room for jokes, wordplay or long tales.
All of the above requires determination and a will to fine-tune the performance of the media and an honest dialogue to decide on what should be done without over- or under-estimation. Egypt stands on the threshold of a delicate phase in every way, after which it either becomes a pioneer country modelling peaceful transition to democracy, societal participation and economic growth with the efforts of its people and wisdom of its leaders, or it becomes another memory in the annals of history.
The historic choices are known to everyone: either work, discipline, assertive existence; or slacken off, division and destitution. If anyone knows of a third viable option, then he should tell us about it. I doubt that anyone will find a third option.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/101628.aspx