By Talha Masud
In Pakistani media warfare, the recent entrancing news on the consensus on ‘Constitutional Amendments’ entitling a breakthrough in provincial autonomy to the biggest extent so far, Khyber Pakhtunkhuwah, most awaited change in the N.W.F.P’s vague identification, the balancing of revenue and subjects distribution to the provincial and federal government or America’s cordial stance to Pakistan had been badly over-shadowed by the overdid fancy coverage to Shoaib Malik, middle-order batsman of Pakistan cricket team and Indian Tennis Idol, Sania Mirza’s declaration of getting married. This mellow dramatization can be associated with present-day media boom in Pakistan.
One can see two extremes of Pakistani electronic media: One, the official spokes television, that is PTV, which I at times pronounce as PEACE TV. The pro-government flute has been its undercover agenda. Tune in to the oldest Pakistani channel and you would find Pakistan, a Utopian and a welfare state.
The other end is not just a media front but also a cluster of media cartel. The flurry of news channels in Pakistan has somehow, enlightened the mindset the rank and file masses in Pakistan but the liberty of being too much hegemonic in nature is enjoyed by the same group. The trends of useless debates on talk shows and the race exposing political elements has made it a bit wavered from the ‘issue seeking’ audience.
Non-issues are easily transformed into issues these days. Gather some people and there is an issue on the media waves. What irks me the most is the tone few anchors have developed recently. A renowned anchor in his programme on Pakistan’s leading news channel is always seen to describe ways for dismantling the government. The monotonous verdict seems a bizarre and pompous speech now. In another media shootout, the anchor’s high pitch shouting to the guests sitting a yard away from him is not understandable. Many of them are the judges themselves to be in the frame of the truth and not letting other to speak out. When someone talks to limit media’s high-handedness, the counter bashing is hard to escape.
It is true that check and balance is the best part media plays on the ruling and the ruled class. But media itself has crossed the barriers of decency. And when we see undue coverage on the issues, which hardly matter to the majority, then the questions of being dutiful remains unanswered. When after a certain news, every channel tries to own the credit of breaking it from the bud, and then I tend to pity on the money-generating race by propaganda and hypes.
From Ptv’s ‘Sab Achay Ki report’ to the hysterical approach of other flanks should be rightly checked, guided and understood. We are somewhere, in the smokescreen, being victim of self-disgrace by impolite gesticulation. Both the extremes, if inform and influence the addressees with intent and purpose, then their role become quite significant for the communicative growth of the country.
