A'Sharqiyah University Is Bribing Journalists in Oman

“The role of the journalist is to seek truth, provide a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues, and act independently.” – Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics

“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations.” – George Orwell

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.” – Edward R. Murrow

??

Introduction

There are thousands of journalists working for governments and public institutions in most regions of the world, including the Middle East. Most of them are appointed in journalism jobs like editors-in-chief, assistant editors, writers, reporters, photographers, and other jobs associated with journalism. These are civil servants who should abide by the Civil Service laws, bylaws, regulations, and instructions. Their jobs are, in general, to praise the government and its policies whatever they are inside and outside the country. Journalism for them is not more than a civil service job and a means of living. They write whatever the government and its officials want and if they deviate from the mainstream official line, they will be severely punished and may lose their jobs and even go to jail. This is the first category of journalists.

It is very difficult to call them "journalists" in any strict and meaningful sense. They are hired writers more than journalists in the true sense. They cannot write or even touch on any sensitive issue or event and they give you the government's version of everything. They rarely write about the basic problems or demands of the people. This is why they ignore the big issues like corruption, fraud, bribery, unemployment, and injustices. They never criticize the government or its officials. For them, the government is a "sacred" entity made up of Holy ministers and officials chosen by God to run our affairs in this earthly life until we die and ask for "justice in the afterlife."

The second category of journalists you find in the Middle East are those journalists who work in independent newspapers, magazines, and other media. This is not a homogenous category. It is a very heterogeneous category consisting of all sorts of journalists; some of them are very good and serious; some are very bad and trivial. There is a continuum of seriousness and triviality that can be used to describe them and what they do. There are some serious journalists who write about the basic needs and demands of the general public without touching on sensitive issues that may send them to jail. There are other journalists who pretend to be serious and write critically but in fact they lack credibility and truthfulness. If there is a corruption case announced by the government, they praise the government and security apparatus for catching the corrupt people and the thieves, but they ignore that the government itself is corrupt from top to bottom. They always find scapegoats and blame the ordinary citizens, not the government systems and mechanisms that allow corruption and thievery to take place.

The third category of "journalists" are those who are prepared to sign deals with the Devil for money, favors, privileges, and promotions. They enter on behalf of their organizations or themselves into what they call "partnerships" with companies, corporations, and institutions as blatant and disgusting daylight corruption and thievery. This is the most dangerous and unethical form of corruption and thievery journalists may practice anywhere in the world. Journalists need to adhere to the core values of the Code of Ethics of Journalism such as truth, integrity, and accountability. These "mercenary journalists" are being bribed by corrupt officials, explicitly and implicitly, to write favorable reports and articles (mostly in the native language) to praise the company or institution and its "great achievements" in science, economy, and society although the true picture is completely different. The company or institution is one of the most corrupt companies and the institution is one of the worst academic institutions managed by corrupt, incompetent, and unqualified executives.

The category of "mercenary journalists" is rather common in many countries in the Middle East where the level of hypocrisy and repression of journalists is very high. A blatant case of mercenary journalists in the Middle East is what has been happening in Oman between A'Sharqiyah University and some mercenary journalists like A'awadh

?former Chair of? , (??? ?? ???? ?????? bin Sa'aeed Bagwayer

Administrative Council of the Association of Omani Journalists, who signed a memorandum of cooperation between A'Sharqiyah University and the Association of Omani Journalists whereby the Omani journalists will show their cooperation with A'Sharqiyah University. How? Naturally, by writing good reports and articles about the University, mostly in Arabic, in Omani newspapers and magazines although they know very well that A'Sharqiyah University is one of the most corrupt universities in the world and its academic reputation is going down the drain every year because of its weak academic programs and corrupt management. Where is the code of ethics of journalism and its core values of truth, honesty, and integrity?

You do not need an association or a syndicate to be a ' mercenary journalist' in the Middle East. You just need to be a hypocrite and an opportunist and claim to be a good journalist and you are open to work as a hired mercenary. Corrupt officials and businessmen will flock to you and pay generously. This is the case of? Hamed bin A'amer Al- Habsi ??? ?? ???? ????????

who is a self-confessed mercenary journalist as he admits in X Platform (formerly, Twitter).? He always praises and writes good reports about A'Sharqiyah University and admits, at the same time, that he is studying at the University for his M.A. degree in law.

It is not difficult to find mercenary journalists anywhere in the world, especially in the Middle East. This has been happening for some time now. What is painful and regrettable is to find an academic institution like A'Sharqiyah University entering into agreements of "partnerships" with an Association of Journalists like that of Oman for the sake of polishing its image and academic reputation in order to deceive its students, their families, and the public; instead of being honest and maintains academic values and standards.? The core values of both journalism and academia will be lost forever. This is why the people of the Middle East have lost trust in both of them.?

Journalists should avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. They should disclose unavoidable conflicts and refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel, and special treatment that may compromise their integrity or impartiality or may damage their credibility.

Truth, accuracy, and objectivity are the cornerstones of journalism ethics.

Journalists are encouraged to maintain a degree of detachment from the religions, groups, or countries they are associated with, in order to minimize potential biases in their reporting. Their code of ethics should center on public trust, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, independence, and accountability.

Journalism Code of Ethics

The Code of Ethics of Journalism compromises principles of ethics and good practice applicable to journalists everywhere in the world. The basic codes of journalism commonly appear in statements by professional journalism associations and individual?media organizations. (1)

There are hundreds of Codes of Ethics for Journalism in the world. They may differ in some details and reflect different cultures but most of them share common elements including the principles of?truthfulness, accuracy, fact-based reporting, independence, objectivity, impartiality, fairness, and public accountability.

The Society of Professional Journalists’?Code of Ethics?advises journalists to: (2)

§? Seek Truth and Report It.?This includes fact-checking, not intentionally distorting information, identifying sources, avoiding stereotypes, and supporting the open exchange of opinions.

§? Minimize Harm.?This includes demonstrating compassion for sources and subjects of stories and protecting the privacy of innocent individuals.

§? Act Independently.?This includes avoiding conflicts of interest and corruption and resisting the attempts of advertisers and special interests groups to influence the news.

§? Be Accountable.?This includes correcting mistakes, inviting criticism, and exposing unethical practices of the media.

?Many journalistic codes of ethics also include concern with discriminatory references in news coverage or reports on race, religion, and physical or mental disabilities. (3)?

The Assembly affirms the following ethical principles for journalism and believes that they should be applied by the profession throughout Europe.

News and opinions

1.?In addition to the legal rights and obligations set forth in the relevant legal norms, the media have an ethical responsibility towards citizens and society which must be underlined at the present time, when information and communication play a very important role in the formation of citizens' personal attitudes and the development of society and democratic life.

2.?The journalist's profession comprises rights and obligations, freedoms and responsibilities.

3.?The basic principle of any ethical consideration of journalism is that a clear distinction must be drawn between news and opinions, making it impossible to confuse them. News is information about facts and data, while opinions convey thoughts, ideas, beliefs, or value judgments on the part of media companies, publishers, or journalists.

4.?News broadcasting should be based on truthfulness, ensured by the appropriate means of verification and proof, and impartiality in presentation, description, and narration. Rumour must not be confused with news. News headlines and summaries must reflect as closely as possible the substance of the facts and data presented.

5.?Expression of opinions may entail thoughts or comments on general ideas or remarks on news relating to actual events. Although opinions are necessarily subjective and therefore cannot and should not be made subject to the criterion of truthfulness, we must ensure that opinions are expressed honestly and ethically.

6.?Opinions taking the form of comments on events or actions relating to individuals or institutions should not attempt to deny or conceal the reality of the facts or data. (4)

Despite modern journalism going back as far as 400 years ago, journalism became more of a necessity in some views in the 1900s. Newspapers function with the ideal of presenting "unbiased' information to the masses. The continual evolution of journalism, media, and society as a whole, means that journalism will continue to face challenges in the pursuit of that ideal, and the unbiased presentation of information must be a constant topic in editorial meetings and in frequent discussions between editors and reporters. (5)

Every country presents its own unique aspects and sometimes challenges as far as the codes correlated with Journalism codes today. Truth, accuracy, and objectivity are the cornerstones of journalism ethics. Journalists should maintain a degree of detachment from the religions, groups, or countries they are associated with, in order to minimize potential biases in their reporting.

Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Media organizations should adopt a code of ethics centering on public trust, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, independence, and accountability.

Media ethics promotes and defends values such as a universal respect for life and the rule of law and legality. Journalists should: Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. They should disclose unavoidable conflicts, refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel, and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility. (6)

Codes of Practice

The written codes and practical standards vary somewhat from country to country and organization to organization, but there is substantial overlap between mainstream publications and societies. The?International Federation of Journalists?(IFJ) launched a global?Ethical Journalism Initiative?in 2008 aimed at strengthening awareness of these issues within professional bodies. In 2013 the Ethical Journalism Network was founded by former IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. This coalition of international and regional media associations and journalism support groups campaigns for ethics, good governance, and self-regulation across all platforms of media.

One of the leading voices on the subject of journalistic standards and ethics is the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). In the Preamble to the Principles of the Society, we read the following statement," Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair, and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity.

The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media." (2)

The following are some of the SPJ's guidelines for journalists to take into account in actual practice of journalism:

Seek Truth and Report It

Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting information.

Journalists should:

·???????? Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible.?

·???????? Remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy.?

·???????? Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing, or summarizing a story.?

·???????? Gather, update, and correct information throughout the life of a news story.?

·???????? Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible.

·???????? Consider sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Reserve anonymity for sources who may face danger, retribution or other harm.

·???????? Diligently seek subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond to criticism or allegations of wrongdoing.?

·???????? Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information unless traditional, open methods will not yield information vital to the public.?

·???????? Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Give voice to the voiceless.?

·???????? Recognize a special obligation to serve as watchdogs over public affairs and government.

·???????? Boldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience. Seek sources whose voices we seldom hear.?

·???????? Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information. Clearly label illustrations and re-enactments.?

Act Independently

The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.

Journalists should:

·???????? Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts.?

·???????? Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility.?

·???????? Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; do not pay for access to news. Identify content provided by outside sources, whether paid or not.?

·???????? Deny favored treatment to advertisers, donors or any other special interests, and resist internal and external pressure to influence coverage.?

·???????? Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. Prominently label sponsored content.??

Be Accountable and Transparent

Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one’s work and explaining one’s decisions to the public.

Journalists should:

·???????? Explain ethical choices and processes to audiences. Encourage a civil dialogue with the public about journalistic practices, coverage and news content.?

·???????? Respond quickly to questions about accuracy, clarity and fairness.?

·???????? Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly.?

·???????? Expose unethical conduct in journalism, including within their organizations.?

·???????? Abide by the same high standards they expect of others.?

Cosmopolitan Journalism

The cosmopolitanism imperative that our primary ethical allegiance is to a borderless, moral community of humankind is often misunderstood. Therefore, it is important to say what it implies and what it does not. The claim of humanity is not the cognition of a cold abstract principle. It is the 14 Global Journalism Ethics ability to perceive and value our common humanity in the situations of life. It is respect for mankind's rational and moral capacities wherever and however, they are manifest. It is in our concrete dealings with others that we recognize humanity's common aspirations, vulnerabilities, and capacities, as well as its potential for suffering. In a fragmented world, cosmopolitanism focuses on what is fundamental—a common aspiration to life, liberty, justice, and humanity. (7)

Investigative Journalism

Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, racial injustice, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report.

?Journalism professor Steve Weinberg defined investigative journalism as: "Reporting, through one's own initiative and work product, matters of importance to readers, viewers, or listeners." (8)

In many cases, the subjects of the reporting wish the matters under scrutiny to remain undisclosed. There are currently university departments for teaching investigative journalism. Conferences are conducted presenting peer-reviewed research into investigative journalism. (9)

British media theorist?Hugo de Burgh?(2000) states that: "An investigative journalist is a man or woman whose profession is to discover the truth and to identify lapses from it in whatever media may be available. The act of doing this generally is called investigative journalism and is distinct from apparently similar work done by police, lawyers, auditors, and regulatory bodies in that it is not limited as to target, not legally founded and closely connected to publicity."? (10)

Starting with a history of investigative journalism and examining key events such as Watergate in the U.S. and the thalidomide scandal in the U.K., Hugo de Burgh and his colleagues explain how investigative journalism should be understood within the framework of the mass media, how it relates to the legal systems in the U.S., the U.K., and the European Union, the place of ethics in investigative journalism, and the influence of new technologies and the Internet on journalistic practices.

Investigative journalism evokes visions of relentless journalists on a quest for truth no matter how elusive it may be. It is a critical component of a mindful society, prompting and probing the world towards accountability and, eventually, progress.

Broadly speaking, investigative reporting is a detailed examination of issues, cover-ups, or scenarios that are of substantial relevance to society yet concealed, mostly intentionally, from public scrutiny. It's a diligent exploration that spans months or even years, seeking to expose a story shrouded in smoke and mirrors.

Under the veneer of regular news, immense hard work, patience, and courage are at play, serving society by holding the powerful accountable.

An excellent example of this has been exhibited with the "#MeToo" movement, a widespread social campaign against sexual harassment and assault. The flame was ignited in the world of global celebrity by the relentless investigative reporting manifested in the Harvey Weinstein exposé. Journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey of The New York Times, and Ronan Farrow from The New Yorker, shook the very foundation of Hollywood by unveiling years of allegations against the film mogul.

Brave victims found their voice, bolstered by the tireless efforts of these journalists who refused to let a story of such significance be brushed under the carpet. This led to a global outcry and ignited a movement that served as a wake-up call to industries across the world, demonstrating the immense power and impact of investigative journalism. (11).

Investigative journalism?often takes an implicit point of view on a particular?public interest, by asking pointed questions and intensely probing certain questions. With outlets that otherwise strive for neutrality on political issues, the implied position is often uncontroversial—for example, that political corruption or abuse of children is wrong and perpetrators should be exposed and punished, that government money should be spent efficiently, or that the health of the public or workers or veterans should be protected. Advocacy journalists often use investigative journalism in support of a particular political position, or to expose facts that are only concerning to those with certain political opinions. Regardless of whether or not it is undertaken for a specific political faction, this genre usually puts a strong emphasis on factual accuracy, because the point of an in-depth investigation of an issue is to expose facts that spur change. Not all investigations seek to expose facts about a particular problem; some data-driven reporting does deep analysis and presents interesting results for the general edification of the audience which might be interpreted in different ways or may contain a wealth of facts concerned with many different potential problems. A factually-constrained investigation with an implied public interest point of view may also find that the system under investigation is working well. (12), (13).

While definitions of investigative reporting vary, among professional journalism groups there is broad agreement on its major components: systematic, in-depth, and original research and reporting, often involving the unearthing of secrets. Others note that its practice often involves heavy use of public records and data, with a focus on social justice and accountability.

Some journalists claim that all reporting is investigative reporting. There is some truth to this—investigative techniques are used widely by beat journalists on deadline as well as by “I-team” members with weeks to work on a story. But investigative journalism is broader than this–it is a set of methodologies that are a craft, and it can take years to master. (14)

Story-Based Inquiry,?an investigative journalism handbook?published by UNESCO, defines it thus: “Investigative journalism involves exposing to the public matters that are concealed–either deliberately by someone in a position of power, or accidentally, behind a chaotic mass of facts and circumstances that obscure understanding. It requires using both secret and open sources and documents.”

According to David E. Kaplan (2013), "Investigative journalism has spread rapidly around the world in the past decade, helping to hold corrupt leaders accountable, document human rights violations, and expose systematic abuses in developing and transitioning countries. Despite onerous laws, legal and physical attacks, unsupportive owners, a lack of qualified trainers, and other obstacles, the practice has found a footing even in repressive countries." (15)

Mercenary Journalists

"Mercenary journalists" are those who are prepared to sign deals with the Devil for money, favors, privileges, and promotions. They enter on behalf of their organizations or themselves into what they call "partnerships" with companies, corporations, and institutions in what we may refer to here as daylight corruption and thievery. This is the most dishonest and unethical form of corruption and deception journalists may practice anywhere in the world. Journalists need to adhere to the core values of the Code of Ethics of Journalism such as truth, integrity, and accountability. These "mercenary journalists" are being bribed by corrupt officials, explicitly and implicitly, to write favorable reports and articles (mostly in the native language) to praise the company or institution and its "great achievements" in science, economy, and society although the true picture is completely different. The company or institution is one of the most corrupt companies and the institution is one of the worst academic institutions managed by corrupt, incompetent, and unqualified management and executives.

This category of "mercenary journalists" is rather common in many countries in the Middle East where the level of hypocrisy and repression of journalists is very high. A blatant case of mercenary journalists is what has been happening in Oman between A'Sharqiyah University and some mercenary journalists like A'awadh

??former Chair of? , (??? ?? ???? ?????? bin Sa'aeed Bagwayer A'awadh

Administrative Council of the Association of Omani Journalists, who signed a memorandum of cooperation between A'Sharqiyah University and the Association of Omani Journalists whereby the Omani journalists will show their cooperation with A'Sharqiyah University (16). How? Naturally, by writing good reports and articles about the University, mostly in Arabic, in Omani newspapers and magazines although they know very well that A'Sharqiyah University is one of the most corrupt universities in the world and its academic reputation is going down the drain every year because of its weak academic programs and corrupt management. Where is the code of ethics of journalism and its core values of truth, honesty, and integrity?

You do not need an association or a syndicate to be a " mercenary journalist" in the Middle East. You just need to be a hypocrite and an opportunist and claim to be a good journalist and you are open to work as a hired mercenary. Corrupt officials and businessmen will flock to you and pay you generously for your fake reports and articles. This is the case of?? Hamed bin A'amer Al- Habsi ??? ?? ???? ????????

who is a self-confessed mercenary journalist as he admits in X Platform (formerly, Twitter).? He always praises and writes good reports about A'Sharqiyah University and admits, at the same time, that he is studying at the University for his M.A. degree in law. This is a very clear case of Conflict of Interest which any good and honest journalist should avoid.

It is shameful for a company or an academic institution like A'Sharqiyah University to enter into agreements of so-called "partnerships" with an Association of Journalists like that of Oman for the sake of polishing its image and academic reputation in order to deceive its students, their families, and the public. Companies and academic institutions need to be honest in their dealings and maintain high standards of conduct, practice, ethics, and academic values and integrity.? The core values of both journalism and academia will be lost forever if companies and academic institutions are allowed to bribe journalists by offering them money, favors, and privileges to polish their image through fake reports (17). This is why most of the people of the Middle East have lost trust in both journalism and academia.

Conclusions

Independent journalists provide their readers with reliable information and report on issues of public interest, expose corruption, abuse of power, and denounce wrongdoings, social inequalities, and unpunished crimes. Reliable journalism makes an impact on society and plays a pivotal role in advancing human rights holding the powerful accountable.

Truth, accuracy, honesty, and objectivity are the cornerstones of journalism ethics.

Journalists are required to maintain a degree of detachment from companies, institutions, groups, or any other entity or association that may influence their reliable and independent reporting.

Professional integrity is the only way to a journalist's credibility. Journalists should always adhere to the Journalistic Code of Ethics centering on public trust, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, independence, and accountability.

Honorable journalists should avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. They should disclose unavoidable conflicts and refuse gifts, favors, fees, privileges, free travel and special treatment that may compromise their integrity or impartiality, or may damage their credibility.

The professional Journalism Codes of Ethics set forth values, ethical principles, and standards to which professional journalists should adhere and by which their actions can be judged. These codes apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent dissemination to the public.

Truth and honesty are essential to effective journalism. Successful journalists should always avoid bias and must be able to investigate various sources and verify facts.

Investigative journalism holds the power to expose, inform, and question. This encompasses, among other things, making ethical decisions to ensure fair, unbiased, and respectful journalism.

It is regrettable to find mercenary journalists who are prepared to sell their pen and their honor in return for money, favors, privileges, and promotions from companies and institutions by writing fake reports and articles. They enter on behalf of their organizations or themselves into what they call "partnerships" with companies, corporations, and institutions in what we may refer to here as daylight corruption and thievery. This is the most dishonest and unethical form of corruption and deception journalists may practice anywhere in the world.

References

1.????? American Society of News Editors (ASNE), "Statement of Principles", April 7, 2015.

2.????? Society of Professional Journalists, ?"Code of Ethics", Revised September 6, 2014, at SPJ’s National Convention in Nashville, Tenn, U.S.A.

3.????? UK?– Press Complaints Commission?– Codes of Practice?Archived?2012-12-14 at the?Wayback Machine.

4.????? Resolution 1003 (1993) Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe, Committee on Culture and Education, Ethics of Journalism, 1 July 1993)

5.????? Ward, Stephen J. A. (March 2005). "Philosophical Foundations for Global Journalism Ethics".?Journal of Mass Media Ethics.?20?(1): 3–21.

6.????? "Ethics of Journalism", Rolli Website online, 29 November 2024.

7.????? Hafez, Kai (April 2002). "Journalism Ethics Revisited: A Comparison of Ethics Codes in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Muslim Asia".?Political Communication.?19?(2): 225–250

8.????? Steve Weinberg (1995). The Reporter's Handbook: An Investigator's Guide to Documents and Techniques. New York: St. Martin's Press

9.????? "The Global Media Defence Fund Backs the Largest-Ever Investigative Journalism Conference".?UNESCO, 29 September 2023.

10.? Hugo de Burgh, Paul Lashmar, eds. (2001).?Investigative Journalism: Context and Practice. London; New York: Routledge.

11.? Rolli Website, (2024) Investigative Journalism: Techniques, Tools, and Ethics

12.? McChesney, R. (2004). The problem of the media: U.S. communication politics in the Twenty-First century. New York: Monthly Review Press, p.81.

13.? Just, Marion; Levine, Rosalind; Regan, Kathleen (November–December 2002),?"Investigative Journalism Despite the Odds",?Columbia Journalism Review: 103ff

14.? " What Is Investigative Journalism?", Global Investigative Journalism Network Online, 3 December 2024.?

15.? David E. Kaplan (2013). Global Investigative Journalism: Strategies for Support. A Report to the Center for International Media Assistance.(2nd Edition).

16.? Oman Newspaper (????? ????), Omani Journalists Association and A'Sharqiyah University Sign a Memorandum of Cooperation and Partnership, 9 October 2017 (in Arabic).

17.? Omani Affairs (???? ??????), "Hamed Al-Hajri of A'Sharqiyah University Offered Gifts and Rewards to Journalists in A'Sharqiyah Region for Doing a Good Job for A'Sharqiyah University", 18 January, 2019 (in Arabic).

?

?

?

?