Many of us watched the live transmissions of Madingo Afewrok’s funeral because the death of yet another well-liked and promising Ethiopian musicians. Much of the whole process was very well organized and very well managed, except when it comes to the actions of the scores of camera men or rather people with cameras. There were so many of them you can’t help wondering if the sad event was going to be where some ‘new trend’ was catching up. I mean I personally couldn’t recall any recent funeral event with so many cameras running all over the place and many times creating unnecessary commotions.
That’s one way you know that times have changed, or rather are changing. Of course these days we have so many TV stations and social media accounts seeing so many cameras might not be anything interesting. Of course, this adds to the stature of the musician loved by so many and it is only natural if the urge to document the entire event is extensive.
But then there is in every profession what we call ‘ethics.’ Though I can’t give you the number of chapter and numbers of any document; but it’s safe to conclude media cameramen, too, must have their own unique ethical standards. But some of their behavior we witnessed last Thursday couldn’t be in any list of ethical standards written or imagined. I don’t think you can employ the same techniques and strategies taking pictures of such a high level funeral event and say the wedding of some ‘lucky’ actress who marries some millionaire.
Weddings and other happy events are what they are, happy events. It wouldn’t be of any news value if the cameramen take pictures of everybody and everything! Close ups could be so high definition even with the details on the skin appearing like recently discovered holes on some far planet. The smiles, the laughter, all the merrymaking could be taken in full screen mode close up mode and no one would blink. Look, I’m talking as someone who knows practically nothing about cameras and you can throw my ‘suggestions’ out the nearest window and I’d still be having my morning cup of tea. Why? Because I was in a strange land I know nothing of and someone is telling me just that! Well because that’s the prefect reaction.
However, I think at such sad events which saddened millions are very personal and people, even while they are in crowds, don’t want their privacy to be abused. I mean how can people have the courage (or the indifference) to push their cameras practically under the noses and chins of mourners? I mean, after all, mourning is a purely personal affair. Each person have their own way of expressing their grief; And they are not doing for the cameras as it might be the case in other happy events. Wisdom comes in knowing where the line is.
What worries me is that such indifference on the part of professionals in many fields might make us pay heavy process down the road. It might not be nice binging up the word, but things would turn out to be tomorrow. You don’t have to deal with such people. How can the bereaved mourn when the camera lenses just a few inches from the faces? It was the most unprofessional of actions. Even at the final laying event the cameras practically made it difficult for things to go as smoothly as they should have.
The social media! Oh the social media! These days it’s getting worse and worse. How is that so many, so many of us have sunk so low!
The Ethiopian Herald October 2/2022