Something needs to be done to crack down on this industry of thugs and blackmailers. Over the past 15 years, we've seen the news media in Pakistan grow from simply delivering the news to making the news...in what these yobs call "Infotainment", a term first used by that cancer called Geo TV. They started this ridiculous trend of playing music during news stories and having fair skinned women with no journalism experience or education whatsoever scream the news to us all day.
Since Musharraf liberalized the media in the early 2000s, the news industry have evolved into an utter and complete gong show and this trend is only getting worse. I'm going to identity several problems which I've noticed and provide my opinion on how to solve them...your feedback and suggestions are welcomed.
PEMRA's Unprofessional Attitude & Lack of Common Sense
What does PEMRA even do? The whole idea behind regulating the media is to protect Pakistan's interests. This doesn't mean curbing free speech, but rather making sure each channel does what it says it wants to do and that it doesn't harm national interests or the national media industry. Also, the lack of educational channels is disturbing. Just how many news channels do we actually need?
"Infotainment"
This nonsense should be outright banned. If you're a TV channel that wants to deliver the news, then deliver the news. If you're a TV channel that wants to entertain, then entertain. Don't conflate the two together - this is the responsibility of PEMRA to separate the two so news doesn't become a joke...this means not handing out licenses to every village idiot who walks into your office. They're handing out licenses like candy to every tom, dick and harry, then what does anybody expect? Under what pretext is Gourmet Bakery allowed to start a TV channel, and that too called "GNN"? Where are the regulations? Where is the quality control? It seems like if you write PEMRA a big cheque, you can get away with anything. I should apply for an Islamic **** channel...guaranteed if I write them a nice cheque, it'll be allowed.
Foreign Collaborations/Partnerships
This is a disturbing trend - until now I'm only aware of the Express Tribune openly admitting they are in a partnership with the International Herald Tribune, which is part of the New York Times. Firstly, PEMRA should force any news media publication to publicly state they are in collaboration with foreign media. Dawn News is suspected of being in partnership with the Washington Post - Hameed Haroon should be forced to state this publicly. If it were up to me, any news publication that has any ties with any foreign newspapers (in particular Pentagon funded propaganda machines like the New York Times or Washington Post) should have no right to operate in Pakistan.
Dual Two Faced Nature Pitting Conservatives & Liberals Against One Another
Another disturbing trend I've noticed in how certain media groups have both Urdu and English publications, with the Urdu publications catering to the right wing and the English publications catering to the left wing. Express Group does this beautifully...it's almost ironic how these brain dead Anglo Pakistan gated community living mummy daddy bloggers on the Express Tribune complain about extremism and conservative elements in society, when the newspaper they write for has an Urdu wing that essentially caters to the very people they're against! The irony here is unmistakable - Orya Maqbool Jan wrote for Express Urdu did he not, while I distinctly remember during that same period an Express Tribune Blogger complaining about Orya Maqbool Jan. It seems like they like fanning the flames, so they can profit off it. This should be called out has hypocrisy! At least Dawn is consistent with its so-called "liberal bias", which I call American foreign policy influenced bias.
Lack of Actual Journalists
People in Pakistan have sorely confused a "journalist" with a "newsreader" (also known as newscasters)...these are NOT the same. Journalism is an actual career, with an actual degree. People are taught how to investigate incidents, how to avoid bias, how to be impartial etc. Ask yourselves, how many of these personalities on TV actually have a journalism degree or some experience working in the news industry? Simply screaming over others and playing music in the background while you talk doesn't make you a journalist.
Obsession With Fair Skinned Women News Readers
Just sickens me how every news channel essentially tries to hire the most fairest looking THOT they can find to read the news. Forget the fact if they even have the calibre or voice to be a newscaster, if she looks pale and fair...good enough. Some of these low budget channels end up hiring some really retarded makeup artists, who apply inches of makeup on these women. They look less like newsreaders and more like clowns to be honest.
Screaming Culture
This one if the biggest complaint I have - what is this need to scream the news at us and repeat it several times over and over again within a span of 3 minutes? If you have ever noticed during breaking news events, the newsreaders literally SCREAM while mentioning "sub se pelay hum ne bataya hai". This is so unprofessional and clownish.
Look at how this professional news channel speaks calmly and clearly and then compare to to garbage like GEO and ARY and Samaa. There is no panic in the voices nor are they interested in rushing to say things first. I get a headache each time I watch these news channels in Pakistan. So jahil and unprofessional.
Breaking News Culture
This concept has lost all meaning in Pakistani news media.
Geo Breaking News: It's raining in Lahore
Geo Breaking News: The sun has come out in Lahore
Enough said.
Illiterate In Urdu
If you're an Urdu news channel, you should be hiring people who are fluent in Urdu...it shocks me how many of these pseudojournalist morons sitting at these channels feel the need to throw English into the mix.
Not "Nashnaal Assamblee" but Quami Assembly
Not "Soopreem Kart" but Adalat-e-Uzma
Not " Elekshuun" but intekhaabat
And that's just scratching the surface.
intekhaab
