Importance of Media in Pakistan Towards Change

@Voice of Pakistan

Media PakistanMedia of any country is reflection of that country. It shows that how person behave and live in their country. The way of expressing news, way of talking of politicians in political debates and discussion programs shows the behavior of people of that country. Although media’s responsibility is to spread true stories but media should be careful in this regard. They have to adopt such a way in which they could aware public without impacting negatively their mind sets and make them able to protest in a true manner which could result oriented. McCombs and Shaw assumed that “the mass media sets the agenda for political campaigns, influencing public attitudes toward desired issues”. Hence we can say that in Pakistan the responsibility of media is much more then any media in the world, because Pakistan needs a big change and only media is now, as much powerful. At present media is the only source which is easily accessible by all walks of people through various electronic appliances i.e. TV, Radio, Internet, News Papers and now mobile phones also used by people to aware of events every time. Media affects people’s perceptions and priorities their thinking about the political contents. Media shapes the public’s behavior about the issues and plays vital role in highlighting certain attributes of issues. Gatekeepers of the media i.e. (editors, news editors, and other journalists) they all play central role in shaping the media agenda which becomes public agenda after sometime.

In Pakistan media are now independent with the emergence of new century. There are numbered of news channels that have maximum coverage throughout the country. Media contribute a lot to develop public knowledge but even after years of success, media could not alter public’s attitude towards issues. Media promulgate issues in a way that it raise public immediately just after the news bulletin whereas public mostly do not know that what should be their role and reaction in that particular issue. Media should discourage smoothly such attitude of public. Demonstrations and protests are good to increase pressure towards solution of any problem but there should be a proper way to express which should result oriented.

With the passage of time reputation of Pakistan’s media have sullied due to its failure in thoroughly comprehending affairs. It seems that media contributes to multiply wording over issues and crisis instead of spreading true root causes and facts of the issues. Our media coverage of political issues is heavily episodic instead of thematic. There are numbered of political talk shows and debates on all news channels of Pakistan. Any issue discussed in those programs has no ending and determining words that could help people to understand that either there is solution to these issues or not? Every political program discuses same issue under different names of the program. There is no difference in the information displayed by each program even the views of politicians from different political parties give no hope and track towards the solution of issues. If these programs demonstrate issues successfully then it could help people to pressurize government in a right way to solve the issue.

Media and Judiciary are two independent pillars to save the country from sudden slippage. Judiciary put down number of good decisions in her little age of independence which is only one year. Whereas media is older then judiciary and it shows no positive alterations in people’s attitude towards the ridiculous change. Pakistan’s media should understand that it presents the country which is of high importance not only for Islamic world but also for peace in whole world. Media should become highly sensitive towards its responsibilities while presenting this country to the world and guiding the people of Pakistan to bring out the country from the sea of issues. Pakistan’s media tell the world that what is Pakistan in fact, what think of Pakistani people towards world issue. It depicts the culture of Pakistan. It is its responsibility to tell the whole world that what is Islam and what are implications of Islam in Pakistan. Most of hot channels of media are highly politicized whereas they should cover cultural and religious norms and values of Pakistan. Some of the media channels are totally Islamic whereas others are highly ultra mod. This shows existence of two totally different cultures in Pakistan whereas Pakistan was achieved on the name of Islam which has one Book, one Prophet (P.B.U.H), one Allah and one culture.

This type of media with totally two different sectors creating a cultural gap in Pakistan. This cultural gap is increasing hatred groups. Our media showing world existence of two totally different cultures in Pakistan and directs people to divide in two groups one with fundamental thoughts and other with secular thoughts. For a peaceful environment and a democratic culture, it is important for all media channels to preserve real culture of Pakistan which is neither extremist and, nor ultra mod. Francis Fukuyama, (1995) says that, “A thriving civil society depends on a people’s habits, customs, and ethics- attributes that can be shaped only indirectly through conscious political action and must otherwise be nourished through the increased awareness and respect for culture”. In Pakistan we have no independent and transparent political system but luckily now we have the independent media. Access of media and power is far more then political parties hence media can play major role to turn the fate of society.

Pakistan’s culture is Islamic which gives lesson of temperateness, moderateness, rectitude and frugality. By dividing the nation in two groups of culture we are creating cultural gap which underpins the true democratic codes. Media could play a central role in streamlined the whole nation over one agenda and guide it towards one particular destination. Already existing some of extremist groups not only violate human rights but also spread wrong concepts about Islam and develop false picture of Islam and Pakistan to the world. To minimize such groups and to seldom the power of such hatred and extremist groups all Pakistani media should display true culture of Pakistan. All the news channels and drama channel should adopt national dress code of Pakistan which is both Islamic and Pakistani. Unfortunately models, actors, reporter and anchors of media channels follow such a way of speaking, negotiating and apparels which are not true picture of Pakistan and Islam.

In the end I would like to summaries the whole discussion by recommending the media to enhance the knowledge of public about any issue so that they could participate shrewdly to manipulate the mess. Further media have to develop its status in the public by touching the invisible bonds of society means its culture. Although we have different cultures in our country but the origin of all the cultures is Islam. Media should communicate with the people as a part of their society. Tariqavi says, “…..Stress the importance of culture, which may vary even within a country, in negotiating any complex deal you need to understand the values of the people you are dealing with, even if you do not accept their values yourself……..”. Hence our media should take care of culture of Pakistan to integrate the people towards the prosperity and development while living within Islamic boundaries.

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