The Cosmo Modern Citizen as a Man of Media

The “Red Danger” is not limited to a certain political ear. While this referred to the fear of Communism in the late 40s and 50s, the “Red Danger” was challenged in the United States by the Republican Senator Joseph P. McCarthy of Wisconsin who spent almost five years trying to expose communists and other left-wing “loyalty risks” in the U.S. government. Now this phrase has spread to denote many “McCarthys” who fight different “colored” dangers and enemies under the umbrella of corruption, terrorism, among other threats.

In the past, Senator McCarthy sought loyal citizens to unveil his enemies. And now, in the 21st century, we have our own McCarthy doing the same. This new “McCarthy” is the new media wave of talk-shows through which a presenter (or more) gets their sources in a specific political field to feed them with illegally recorded materials. These files, in most cases, are used to expose the actions of official and non-official members alike.

Viewers of such talk-shows listen to private telephone calls between recent and ex-ministers, watch video scenes of secret meetings between political activists, and follow a hot relationship affair between actors and actresses who are not married. In regards to the Egyptian case, many talk shows broadcast material of high-profile figures without authorized permission.  Although this would generally be judged a crime in the free world, such practices are completely acceptable in Egyptian media as long as they expose wrongdoing by men of opposing political factions.

There are many new examples of colored dangers: “Green Danger” documents which can be uncovered to attack Saudi Arabia, “Black Danger” documents used to reveal the Islamic State crimes, and “Golden Danger” documents that might be discovered to frame some businessmen, and so on.

The “Cosmo Modern Citizen” has become a “Man of Media,” armed with his hi-tech gadgets, like a sophisticated mobile, tab, phone, with a high-resolution camera, and a high-speed internet. He could shoot, record, and upload his precious footage to his website, or personal social media page, where followers would be ready to share and re-share the media materials. The same file would be recycled multiple times through one or more of the talk-show programs to be the talk of millions in just a couple of hours.

Editors of such TV talk-shows are too lazy to seek real materials. They are eager to catch a fast source of information for a quick over-the-meal show. One resource is enough: for instance, the “Cosmo Modern Citizen,” who is interested in everything, commenting on every situation, and attacking every personality. Most of these editors do not follow the ethical guidelines to present respectable content.

Citizens who become media suppliers are also misused. Indeed, true journalism is not like this and should not be like this at all. In real journalism, we do not attack one’s privacy like the paparazzi, nor do we accuse innocent people as the ignorant do, neither are we, judges or policemen. We seek the truth, justice, and freedom; far different goals compared to cheap media that only seek popularity at any expense.

I suggest, responding to this wave of recycling the privacy of politicians and celebrities for publicity, there is a need to monitor such cases and—at least— to issue some declaration not to accept the way these media shows and programs humiliate humanity everywhere.

We also need to determine the correct materials which are to be used. The late clearance of innocent victims can definitely be of use as the public media act against them could be too harmful. We do not want to control the free press and media; we need to control the ethics of media itself. If we are becoming tomorrow’s victims of illegal recordings (misused or misunderstood) that are only because we have not fulfilled our duty today.