This is with reference to the article “Writing about Middle East” (Dec. 30) by Ramzy Baroud. It was an interesting article and the tips given by the writer should serve as a guideline for journalists interested in working in the Middle East or anywhere else around the world. Those are the basics of journalism, which have been forgotten by most mainstream journalists.

There was a time when journalism was treated as a noble mission. Nowadays, young journalists are more interested in gaining fame. They tend to look out for shortcuts to become famous. Due to this mentality, they usually indulge in wrong journalistic practices and stir controversies to become celebrities overnight. To a great extent, the print media continues to uphold the true principles of journalism but the electronic media is running wild.

The decline in journalistic standards is also caused due to the immense commercialization of this sector. The electronic media in India or Pakistan, for example, should be studied carefully to fully understand the root cause of the problem. The electronic media in both countries rely on sensationalizing every single issue just to boost the Television Rating Point (TRP).