Pakistani Media will it Grow up?

It is apparently a well-established fact that Media especially electronic media in Pakistan is having a tremendous effect in Pakistan in all spheres of life. The reason behind such a result is the educational background of the general populace and the belief what they see on TV is right. Freedom of speech and news reporting are being used as a pretext to feed the masses tailored agendas. Pakistanis are being sold anti Pakistan rhetoric without even a wince from the authorities. Media Manipulation is a series of techniques partisans create an image or argument that favors their particular interests. Almost most of the time the methods employed are deceptive suggestions, psychologically manipulative narrative, rhetoric, propaganda and twisted or even outright completely false content. Most of the times its politically motivated but is it important if its politically motivated or not I don’t think so such practices are common around the world. So what’s the difference between Pakistan and the rest of the world?? Well its just that anti national sentiment is never intentionally spread by the media around the world that just does not happen we have instances where news is blocked by the media collectively if that is in national interest until the moment is rite. But in Pakistan a certain some parts of the media will go an extra mile to release such news promote news that maligns the nation in anyway or simply use the techniques mentioned above to highlight anti national perspective in such a way that it seems to be the only truth.

This is a trend that raises very serious questions for Pakistanis at large and the Government in particular…questions like why its done the way its done? Whose interest such media houses serve? And most important what do they get in return for such shady behavior?

It seems to me that it’s the season of JITs in Islamabad. Why not have a JIT probing the dealings and financials of the media houses I know they will raise much hue and cry but its very important in fact a matter of national security. The matter has become such a public affair that other media houses with contradicting perspectives the ones closer to the national viewpoint have started specific programs to counter the false propaganda of that group of media houses and they keep on bashing each other which is not very ethical or a good precedent.

Recent example is the misquoted news about the PM of Azad Kashmir by one of the larger seemingly anti national news channel about re thinking which country to join meaning India or Pakistan which he completely denied vehemently so why was it reported in such a anti national way in print and electronic media were there any ulterior motives on who’s behest was this done? Than we had the response from the opposing media houses which was understandable but handled a little too childishly but still became a hit with the audience understandably too.

Another trend I observed in Pakistani media is making a big deal and creating fuss out of matters of not much consequence Why create sensationalism? contrary to the belief that its news and helps society actually at the end of the day harms the society for example a burglary in a small street in one corner of the country is not National news for God’s sake…..

Another aspect of the current situation is we are becoming very American in our news outlook what I mean is hey fifteen years ago our public was more aware of what was happening around the world we the public had a great view about the world what was happening why and its implications come 2017 what you find on all news channels except a few which I can name proudly WAQT news and BOL network is no international outlook almost zero just covering the essential international news that too barely.

Another irritating thing with all the news channels except BOL is like when they start news its preceded by a commercial they come back and just say we will be back after a commercial I mean what the hell you just had a commercial let the commercial continue why the hell do you need to come back and say Let’s HAVE A COMMERCIAL …

I hope we will see the change in a positive way in our media as people will grow in their professions as I believe it’s a learning curve But let’s hope the anti-national rhetoric is cut short immediately no matter how big a media house is.