Journalists that go undercover: When is too much, too much?

KUWAIT: Journalists have a job to do that entails the dissemination of information which ultimately is told to the public via media outlets to keep society informed about current events. To put it more plainly, journalists seek the truth; however, reporting news is not always that cutـandـdry. Sometimes, individuals become offended because their image might be considered tarnished as a result of what is reported.Furthermore, there is no limit where journalism is concerned, as the arena of locating stories can be boundless. Journalists tend to report on a plethora of topics, including politics, environmental issues, social issues, cultural issues and so forth.Freedom of the press is encouraged in Kuwait and journalists are basically given the greenـlight to investigate and explore issues that editors or producers find to be newsworthy.However, while journalists have the freedom to report on numerous issues, ethics and integrity is the responsibility of each journalist, and more importantly, news should be reported from an objective point of view as to maintain the integrity of the industry.The code of ethics is voluntarily embraced by journalists, locally and globally; ethical decisionـmaking is left entirely up to the individual and the editors, but perhaps where one media outlet deems a story worthy, others may not see it so.The Arabic language Al Watan newspaper recently exposed several restaurants in Kuwait who had turned their business into nightclubs. As a consequence, the newspaper was criticized, as some believed that the journalists who went undercover ''crossed the redـline'' and invaded the privacy of the concerned individuals.Al Watan Daily set out to gain a clear picture over this debatable topic, where no clear law actually stipulates that a journalist should refrain from going undercover.

Labeed Abdal, attorney at law, constitutional expert, head of the International Committee at the Kuwait Bar Association and a human rights activist presented his pragmatic point of view and explained that journalism always needs freedom of opinion, as mentioned in the Constitution and confirmed by the highest levels of Kuwaiti courts."Following any malpractices of restaurants or game shops, etc. can be good material for journalists, which gives them the opportunity to criticize any wrongdoings while alerting society of what is happening," he stated.Abdal, further rationalising the truth behind journalists going undercover, added that when the press reports on certain issues they will be drawing the authority''s attention to what is taking place on the grounds of Kuwait."This can be considered an act of selfـconscious, whereby the press can contribute to the safety of locals and expats," he said.Abdal further stated that reporting news should, nevertheless, fall within certain boundaries, i.e. journalists'' rights should be regulated by the law and must abide by certain limits. Reporting news should not become a personal vendetta, and information published should not be derivative."News coverage works as a vehicle of conveying to society about current events, and so forth, but should not be a reason for unnecessary damages or unwanted dangerous sequences for individuals who are practicing their public rights or liberties," Abdal ended.Khalid M. AlـAnzi, Executive Editor of Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), noted that journalists have a responsibility and there are red lines to consider when reporting news, and that even people that believe in liberty and democracy are confronted with challenges when reporting news."People who adapt to openness and transparency in the press should not cross these red lines. Journalists should be able to perform their tasks without scrutiny and limits, but they should also respect the privacy of others. Journalist can delve into the territory of others without tarnishing the images of individuals. Perhaps some journalists are misusing the pen," he ended.

Al Watan Daily:by Ghenwah Jabouri

http://www2.alwatan.com.kw/Default.aspx?MgDid=802535&pageId=473