By Kamila Hyat

Most people who are journalists today have ventured into the field almost by accident. Some may have, quite literally stumbled into a newspaper or magazine office with a friend, and then stayed -- as a reporter, or sub-editor or perhaps a feature writer, caught up in the inevitable drama of production. Others may have absent-mindedly followed a family member into the profession; still others may have arrived after trying out other jobs, to find that the variety of journalism offers them something they were looking for.

Even with the expanding number of media-related academic courses available at various levels, the 'professionally trained' journalist is still among a minority within the profession. Indeed, many experienced journalists, who have seen new entrants make their first attempts at filing a story, or else trying to decipher one of the mysterious scripts submitted to them for editing, still argue that journalists can be trained only 'on the job', and not within any classroom.

The perceptions of those wishing to become journalists have about the profession are also often skewed. Many associate journalism with stylish writing, or flamboyant pieces of prose. And while the ability to write does occasionally come in handy, there are a large number of seasoned journalists who would argue that the newspaper business is mainly about the efficient gathering, processing and presentation of information, in a form that is, preferably at least, readable, but not necessary of high literary quality.

As newspapers, magazines and other publications have multiplied, the choices available to journalists, the demands on them and their conditions of work too have altered. While the largest number of journalists are still those associated with daily newspapers, in Urdu, regional languages such as Sindhi (which has a press that is both vibrant and daring) or English, the range of work available to journalists has widened in a decade or so. The arrival on the scene of major 'Sunday magazine' editions to newspapers, of magazines catering to women or to specific interests such as those in fashion, or childcare or automobiles means that today those venturing into journalism have a choice of opting for work within one of these categories, where the focus is primarily on features, interviews and other similar material.

At the same time, as competition among newspapers and the growing list of other publications has multiplied, this has brought benefits to journalists. This factor is perhaps most specifically true of the English-language press, which has had to compete with other professions for persons with a sound command over language, as well as a willingness to work irregular hours, often extending well beyond midnight. Certainly, in major cities, most of all Lahore which now houses no less than four major English-language papers, there has been an improvement in pays and perks for the more established journalists.

This is particularly significant in a time when matters of ideological commitment have vanished from almost all sections of the press. Quite unlike the situation in the early decades of Pakistan's history, and in a reflection of global trends, those owning newspapers today see them not as a vehicle to project a certain ideological commitment. As such, the committed young intellectuals, labouring away with sharpened pencils or on noisy type-writers, drawing abysmally poor salaries -- but making up for this with the satisfaction of working for a cause they believed in -- are now non-existent within today's press. True, newspapers still seem to attract an unusual number of eccentrics of all descriptions, but in most cases those working in the sector are less willing than before to see salary as entirely a side issue.

This in turn also goes to explain the high turn-over rate within many publications. Even with improved scales, salaries for middle-level journalists still fall well below those available in other sectors. And as such, for a number of graduates, journalism is something of a 'stop-gap' work arrangement, before they move on to other spheres.

While Urdu-language journalists have also benefited from increased competition, new tendencies have come alongside the rapid mushrooming of Urdu language publications that are not healthy. Thrown into a 'sink or swim' environment, and encouraged by owners, editors and more senior colleagues, who in some cases have 'led from the front' by setting their own examples, journalists from newspapers have swiftly mastered the art of blackmail, of placing photographs or news items in newspapers in exchange for a fee or accepting the rolled bills doled out by government members, politicians and others to present a particular opinion or slant a write-up in a specific way.

Sadly, these trends have begun crossing over too into the mainstream press in the last few years. The poor pay scales, increased tendency of major newspapers to hire journalists on a 'contract' basis, which essentially means they can be fired at any time and denied benefits, such as health cover, available to 'permanent' members of staff, of course contribute to the expansion in corruption within the press. So too of course does the overall ethical climate in society.

The question of pay scales, determined for the tiny minority of journalists based within major newspapers, by the Wage Board, (set up nearly four decades ago to provide some financial security to working journalists, and free them from the control exerted by owners), also brings up the debate surrounding the Wage Board Award today. While the Supreme Court has upheld the award, which would lead to a raise in the pays of journalists covered by it, owners, represented by the All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) continue to resist paying out the sums involved. They argue too that today, newspapers are an industry, like any other in the country, and that owners must be freed of financial pressures imposed by the Wage Board. As such, they continue to urge journalists to accept a negotiated pay increase agreement outside the Wage Board, possibly offering them short-term financial bonuses, but depriving them of longer-term benefits and security.

The fact that most journalists are not covered by the Award meanwhile leaves open questions as to its effectiveness in today's working environment. At the same time, it is also true that the issue of pay is not the only difficulty working journalists face. Like teachers, the lack of social respect for journalists, particularly those at the lower levels of a newspaper hierarchy, means that reporters frequently face harassment, the use of derogatory language or even violence and restrictions on access to information. The continued failure to enforce even the highly inadequate Freedom of Information Ordinance, promulgated in 2002, with its limited provisions on access to official information, adds to the difficulties journalists face, with no right available to them to obtain information.

Other laws, promulgated at the same time, threaten punishment for journalists infringing new, tough restrictions on contempt of court, defamation or other actions seen as violating codes of conduct. The penalties, which include fines of up to Rs 50,000 and prison terms, could act to further restrict the freedom available to journalists to report on events of put forward their opinions. The absence of working journalists from the Press Council, to be set up under the new laws to regulate ethics within the Press, remains a factor adding to the difficulties of the ordinary journalist. This is aggravated by the fact that the Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) now includes a rising portion of owner-editors, less likely to defend professionals and their rights.

The manner in which the press operates, behind closed doors, with reporters often facing intense pressure from official quarters against which they have no protection, or being handed out small nuggets of valuable information from officials who seek other favours in return, are all part of the hazards of working journalism. The mechanism and structures that could ease these difficulties remain non-existent, while the present trends seen across the country, of action by both official and non-official forces aimed at controlling what journalists write, appear only to be adding to the difficulties they face in carrying out work that can bring its various rewards, but also leaves professionals exposed to a growing number of threats.