“See? See? The peaceful protestors are filling the streets of Cairo, just so ‘they’ know that ‘we’ are the majority and ‘we’ are peaceful, and they [the Rabaa protestors] do not represent the Egyptians” gleefully said talk show hostess Lamis El Hadidi. Excuse me? “They”? “We”? How is that even permissible?

For long I have been made to believe by my journalism teachers, by my editors, and anyone who has an idea of what journalism is all about, really, that a journalist and a media person should be objective and unbiased. I was told not to show which side I am on and keep my personal opinions out of my articles — unless I am writing an opinion piece (an editorial), of course — and to present all sides equally and let the reader decide for himself. I was told the reader is smart enough to make his own decisions and conclusions and doesn’t need me influencing him. I was frequently taught to present the pure, naked truth and nothing more and always allow the other side, no  matter how evil they seem to me, the right to reply and fend themselves.

Apparently, very few of today’s major media personas were paying attention in class.

Objectivity, balanced reporting, unbiased coverage, not showing which side you’re on and the right of reply; these are all principles that seem to have flown out the window during the past few weeks. Gone is everything we were ever taught in journalism 100, gone are all the ethics and standards of reporting and media we had been taught as basics for anyone in the industry.

Suddenly, almost every satellite, and local channel, has turned into a bashing session against the Muslim Brotherhood and the Rabaa protestors by local media or the Egyptian army and Minister of Defense Abdel Fattah El Sisi by the foreign media.

Suddenly, political talk shows that should be about deep analysis, expert opinions, diverse points of views and generation of better understanding of current events have turned into gossip, friendly, coffee sessions with the presenters. A week before June 30th the media went into a bias frenzy and every idea of balance and objectivity flew out the window. The state of cooing over the army and Sisi all the while demonizing the Rabaa protestors and foreign media martyrizing former president Mohamed Morsi and declaring war on the nation has only intensified post June 30th.

I am whole-heartedly against the Brotherhood, former Morsi and the beliefs they represent. I am also whole-heartedly behind June 30th and the calls to topple Morsi. But I am seriously in shock watching Al Jazeera victimizing Brotherhood supporters and their utterly bias coverage of June 30th, just as much as I am shocked to watch Hadidi, Amr Adib and others call supporters of Mosi demonstrators ‘them’ and his opposers ‘us.’

Present the truth, present facts, get experts to analyze the situation and I am sure the audience will find it rather easy to form an opinion. By blatantly taking one side and shamelessly promoting it, you’re not only breaking ethics of journalism, you’re also driving away a big sector of the society who might disagree with the side you defend. A balanced reporting will show the former regime crooked, I am sure, and will drive the audience to the “us” camp just like you intended to — but it will also keep those who disagree with you from switching the channels because you’re calling them “them.”

This clear side-taking is only alienating the others and driving the “us” and “them” camps further and further apart. It will only mean that each side is preaching to its choir and talking to only the similar-minded.

Media platforms are not spaces for you to spoon-feed the audience your personal views. If you have paid any attention in any media class you would know that air time and newspaper space are sacred spaces for you to share each side of the argument and let people form their own opinions; not adopt yours. If you simply can’t do without telling your audience how you feel about this or any other issue, write an editorial, dedicate a few minutes of the show to say your opinion, but then please, just please, do try and present the issue from a 360 view and host an analyst or two from the ‘other camp.’