Srinagar,19-Apr; Non-professional journalists have been earning a bad name to Kashmir journalism every now and then. The mushroom growth of facebook journalists, who are good at the noise, end up creating a people-friendly image for themselves at the cost of maligning image of professionals.From a simple protest at the Press Colony to any law and order issue, these Facebook journalists (as they are called in local lingo) are always omnipresent. Even they can be seen in the press conferences, which are sometimes reserved. Unabashed and uncouth, most FB journos are semi-literate small-time go-between who try to earn quick bucks using journalism as a stepping stone.A cursory study of these random journalists, who mostly camp on roads and pavements at the press enclave, reveals that most of them are operating pages on Facebook. They have fancy names and post videos and happenings on their pages.Apart from poor content production, these Facebook reporters are increasingly resorting to emotive calls through their repetitive sob-stories on poor families.Some of the “incorrigible offenders” have already become self-styled cults thriving on their cabal and coterie.The facebook journalists would publish emotionally-charged videos on their Facebook pages and other social media accounts and collect funds for the poor families. But one such fundraising campaign has landed few such fb journalists in the trouble.There’s nothing wrong in pleading the cases of poor families, but the manner it is being done has become a medium business in Kashmir now. A case has come into the notice of this media-house where these self-styled reporters have misused the video of one the family in Srinagar.As per the sources, In February, a destitute family was seeking financial help from general public. Keeping the generosity of Kashmir alive, the family received the sufficient amount and accordingly the case was closed. But after two months the same video was again uploaded by these facebook reporters but with different account number. The family filed the complaint against the portal for “misuing” content for their personal benefits.Accordingly tried to get the details of the case from the Safa Kadal police station. However, SHO asked us to get the details from station.“I cannot provide details of the case on phone ,you can personally visit my office and collect the same”,he added.While speaking to CNS, a senior journalist from Srinagar said that these social media reporters are not accountable to anyone for their wrongdoings. The onus lies on the government to tackle these “fb journalists” giving a bad name to journalism.“This sentimental and social media driven journalism is unfortunately wooing masses in Kashmir and has widened the gap, with people losing trust on the professional media houses,” he added. The admin should find a way out of getting these portals registered so that the charity will reach needy people
