Pakistani Media

Media, in this era of information outbreak plays a very important role in making and shaping public opinion. It affects the overall psychological status of a society and can play a very positive role in promoting hope, optimism and unity among ranks and files of a nation. More important, in this regard, are different Television News channels which have mushroomed in Pakistan over a period of past few years. 

It is unfortunate to note that because of a competition among these channels to win more and more viewership, they have adopted ways and means which amount to invading people's privacy and many a time playing with their emotions apart from promoting a Western culture. They would continue looking for anything negative and keep projecting it over and over again. One feels as if there is nothing good happening anywhere. This pathological phenomenon becomes even more evident in the wake of some disaster and these people cross all limits while trying to 'break the news first' or show something not shown by others. All of these channels often so closely resemble the evening newspapers who would make headlines out of nothing.

Taking the example of the recent Bhoja air crash, the role of Media has been deplorable. Every channel has been trying to show more than the other. Imagine a family in which there are sudden, unexpected deaths and they have to deal with the onslaught of Media people asking silly questions like, 'how do you feel?' and 'what would you like to say about what has happened?' They keep showing scenes from the site of the crash and keep adding to the pain and suffering. They would label people have been stealing things from the site of the accident even if they have been just collecting them. Sometimes one feels that they have an agenda of spreading pessimism and negative sentiments in this otherwise deeply troubled nation. Pakistani Media, I feel, at times acts just like a vulture having a scalpel in its beak, hunting down corpses and dissecting them for its survival. 

Media does have a positive role and it has effectively unearthed and highlighted many scandals of corruption which would not have been otherwise possible. It, however, needs to mature and define its limits. Cheap commercialism, unnecessary sensationalism, spreading pessimism and negative sentiments, working against national interest, invading people's privacy and promoting Western culture must be avoided at all costs. Instead of being a vulture, Media should act  like an eagle, flying high above, keeping everything in sight while maintaining its dignity and pride.