W.11
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Credibility of Pakistani media has just gone down in the recent media wars between geo and other news channels like ARY, EXPRESS etc. it is just about money and more to be the owner of lions share in the profits made by the media. Pakistani media is a great source of entertainment for the Pakistani nation, it is much more fun than the TV serials out there. I’m personally a great movie and good English TV serials fan. Since Pakistani elections. And when I talk about fan, I’m not just any fan, I’m an addict. From past many months, I felt strange that whenever I got a spare time, my fingers ran inadvertently instead of typing some movie site, I at an instantly typed zem tv for latest political shows. I get bored when there is little drama, and I go to watching movies again. The political dramas which occur now give me an adrenaline rush and I instantly get hooked with political shows to witness the latest suspense and the shows spice up the matter in such a way that it literally satisfies my need to dramas and suspense which I miss in movies and TV serials
The point is that, Pakistani news media is more about entertainment that credibility. It has become an entertainment industry second to none, other than morning shows, it cannot offer better than political circus in news channels. Previously people stayed away from politics and talked more about other daily things occurring in life, but definitely the news media has made people get interest in politics. Previously politics was all about lies and deceit, but nowadays people has been more interested in politics than never before and those we keep cursing our politicians even today, its not like politics of Pakistan has gone any better and we have suddenly been hopeful about our future but it’s about entertainment.
Pakistan media instead of trying to sell what is credible and correct, it is selling what can be sold in the market.
Whether it be dramas of Qadri’s long march, or Imran’s long march for rigged elections. The purpose of those rallies and long marches are nothing but a cheap stunt to get media popularity. At one time nobody would imagine, any rally consisting of hundreds of thousands of people would end up short of stirring a movement and a great energy which would result in disposing off the governments, today those Guinness records making rallies have lost their true souls, and they have become a source of gaining more ratings in the media. The big rallies are talked about in the media for a long time, the bigger the rallies the longer air time a political party gets. As a result of Qadri’s and Imran’s rallies on 11th may, these guys have succeeded in getting air time for many days, the media is going crazy and taking interviews one after another. Hardly a day passes when their interviews are not aired. Forget public issues, we have celebrities on the lime light. It’s because the media is selling what people want to see. Qadri and Imran are earning a lot for Pakistan media, hence giving them more lime light and taking more interviews makes more sense that’s why the media wars began in the first place. Money! GEO ratings have suddenly fallen down because it said something the people didn’t want to hear. ARY on the other hand using blasphemy, ISI and other pity issues is on top because it is using public sentiments, ARY is showing what people want to hear. I’m not defending GEO here, in my view GEO was at a big fault when it named ISI directly without any proofs that ISI was responsible for attempted murder on Hamid Mir, believe me if it was ISI’s job, it was not very professional. ISI is considered one of the best espionage agencies in the world and must have trained professionals. The point is public anger was generated against GEO which was also unjustified and it was done on purpose by GEO’s rivals not because they loved country more and were more patriots but for monetary gains. GEO media has been leading the Pakistan media for a long time, since the time media in Pakistan was freed by Pervez Musharraf. Don’t mistaken GEO’s action of blaming Hamid Mir attack n ISI hasn’t got anything to do with their own interests. Pervez Musharraf, the military dictator shut geo many times before which caused a lot of damage to GEO’s image and credibility.
Media has lost any credibility it had which this entire fiasco began. In my previous article I already mentioned that media needed to follow basic ethics and principles and that PEMRA needed to get a leash on uncontrolled Pakistani media before it got out of control. My prediction came true and now the media itself has become the biggest headlines.
Nowadays the anti GEO sentiments have been going crazy by labelling it a tool of Jews and Zionists to Indian RAW agents to traitors. Public is already calling to ban geo which in my opinion is very dangerous for media freedom. Public outrage can be understood by the fact that unregulated and uncontrolled and unleashed media has exploited public sentiments. In today’s world media can very well be the cause of third world war, this is how strong the role of media is in the 21st century. It’s now a big responsibility of PEMRA to start reforming the Pakistani media and bring back its credibility. PEMRA must enforce its regulations strictly on every news channels regardless of public pressure and political pressure. Bring GEO news to the court if it has violated any rule or any other channel who has been responsible for exploiting public sentiments for its personal gain or any media who has been guilty of making public violent.
Those non GEO media houses must also understand it’s a crime what they are doing, meaning using sensitive topics like treason, blasphemy to build public rage it can anytime result in violence. They should understand putting country’s security at risk for their corporate gains is very lethal, they can be caught in the fire they are trying to igniting.
Political forces must also stop putting media stunts and work for the welfare of the poor people of this country. They are not elected to gain celebrity status but to serve people. Politics must be source for khidmat e khalq or service to humanity. For their every actions politicians must understand their actions are more for the welfare of the public rather than their own personal gains. Many politicians who raise slogans of Naya Pakistan, Roshan Pakistan Roti, Kapra, Makaan and change must realise that they should not cross boundaries where their actions become more exploitative than service to the people. People must also realise those politicians who start misusing their sentiments for their personal gains are to be best left alone and not followed any longer
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