 In an important move, leading television news channels in Pakistan have put in place a voluntary code of conduct governing coverage of terrorism related incidents. Should the strategies of commandos trying to save hundreds of people trapped in a building during a terrorist attack be discussed or aired publicly? In field and live reporting, is it necessary to expose a viewer to extreme and disturbing visuals, dead bodies, badly injured people, accounts of the emotionally-distraught as well as eyewitnesses? Should the real-time decision on releasing information during war or warlike situations or in the case of hostage taking be part of news on television?
Common sense would say no, but this did not stop television channels across the region from desperately trying to beat each other at providing a ball-to-ball account of events, be it the Indian media during terror attacks in Mumbai, or the nerve-racking coverage of suffering victims in the recent spate of bomb blasts in Pakistan. The electronic media's coverage of terrorist attacks has often left much to be desired where the not-so-thin line between reporting the news and wallowing in sensationalism has been crossed repeatedly and the distinction between fact and speculation lost in situations that call for composure and clarity.
The extent to which the news channels in Pakistan have gone seem to provide in-depth information to the terrorists, rather than the claimed ‘real' coverage for the viewers. Terrorists who mercilessly killed their hostages must have laughed at the dramatisation of their heinous acts, which received unvarnished coverage in the media. Several sections of society raised concerns about the future safety of citizens, which the broadcast media put at stake by elaborating each and every move of the terrorists. It was feared that such a vivid explanation would serve as training for future bombers.
Psychologists complained that television viewers have been bombarded with gruesome, gory images of both the victims and the perpetrators. This is not diligent journalism and adds nothing to the viewers' understanding of the news. What it does is that it further terrifies an already brutalized nation. Conversely, it may also desensitize people who may come to accept tragedy as routine. How many dead, what was the ‘score' this time? No child or young adult should grow up thinking that way.
Responding to viewer feedback on reporting incidents where large-scale loss of human life has occurred, top news managers from Pakistan have recently come up with a solution and voluntarily agreed to guidelines governing terrorism coverage.
In a maiden initiative, the group comprising key news decision-makers in their respective organisations, agreed on harmonizing existing methods to perform the task of honest reporting in these times of extreme national crisis and a perilous security environment.They would now refrain from showing graphic and disturbing images on screen and when required, utilise time delay mechanism in their live transmissions, so undesirable footage can be edited out. They also agreed to put in greater effort to check information before flashing breaking news about bomb blasts, etc.
Exercising extreme caution in covering incidents involving hostages is the key area where all necessary steps will now be taken to ensure that information being relayed does not in any way help the hostage-takers or endanger the lives of the hostages.
The new code of conduct should now enable Pakistani news channels to honour the faith hundreds of millions of viewers repose in them. It will also further enhance the professionalism of Pakistani channels. It is good to know that TV news practitioners have decided to voluntarily follow a code of objective reporting, which should soon become standard procedure. By showing greater responsibility and professionalism, the Pakistani media have taken an important step to prevent any moves that may be made to gag freedom of expression. 
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