The Pakistani Spectator

Life used to be much simpler for the people of Pakistan. About a decade ago, to talk about “private media” would have seemed either tragic or laughable. Everybody knew that the news media were little more than instruments of the mixed information. There was only one state-owned television and one radio, all censored directly by the Government of Pakistan. Today, it is much harder to see where the lines are drawn. A triangle of corruption blurs the lines between business, the mafia, and the government, leaving many journalists stuck in the middle.

Free, independent and pluralistic media based on freedom of information and expression is a core element of any functioning democracy. The media plays an active role in ensuring good governance and sustainable development; not reflecting the personal agendas. In fact respect for truth and the public’s right to information is fundamental principles to be followed by the media. A vibrant and a well functioning media is a vital element in the promotion of strong and sustainable democracy, transparency, accountability, respect for human rights, and good governance. It plays a significant role in shaping public opinions and beliefs, and disseminating correct information and knowledge with a huge responsibility on their shoulders, which surely has far-reaching affects on societies, businesses, and governments.  The Pakistani media channels are yet to mature and learn how to report the truths with maturity. They should learn from other countries especially the western TV channels. They should supply the political information that voters base their decisions on. They should identify problems in the society and serve as a medium for deliberation. They should be the watchdogs that we rely on for uncovering errors and wrongdoings by those who have power. With talented people hunted and working in the media today, society expects them to act in a more accountable manner and provide it with those news stories that will increase their knowledge, their sources of information, and inspire them to inculcate a feeling of responsibility toward society. The people expect the media should report honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts and not to suppress relevant facts avoiding unnecessary emphasis on personal characteristics.

However, there has been severe public criticism of their programs resulting in a decline in the confidence level of the public. The people complaint Pakistani news channels often resort to bias reporting, create insensitivity, contain inaccuracies, promote sensationalism and trivialization in news content, have conflicts of interest and a lack of sense in their news and views stories. It is most deplorable that despite the need for investigative journalism and informative discussion on issues of development and economic reform, highlighting corruption issues, debating ruining public corporations etc. the media have continuously been targeting the national institutions like Pak Army and ISI, and judiciary. Like the foreign enemies, by ignoring the sacrifices of Pakistan’s security forces and its superior secret agency, ISI, our media anchors and most of politicians and so called political experts pay no attention to national solidarity and cohesion among various civil and military institutes of the country. Pakistani TV channels seem to take pleasure in insulting Pakistani institutions in front of others. It is misusing its freedom. It is defying most of the principles of journalism.

Allegation against Army & ISI are merely on political ground .Most of TV talk show hosts in Pakistan seem to be on pay role of President Zardari and his Government. It is also highly unjustified and looks like a part of traditional Indian and US propaganda against our security forces. It also reflects that majority of media anchors are on the payroll of external enemies also in addition to their allies in Pakistan. Furthermore, it is also criticized that the TV channels tend to miss out on important stories in this scramble for eyeballs. Media needs to focus its energy on helping the nation achieve reforms and stop selling it for sensational headlines on behest of some corrupt politicians. Today television channels are making fast money by cashing on the news in wrong sense and wrong way. In the race to become more popular and to make money they have broken all the limits media must follow while serving to build a healthy and progressive society. The journalists are living on sensationalism and character assassination of those who do not agree of their views. Take any news channel and you see same people debating every topic as if they are the experts in the whole world and know everything. Instead of always cursing Army / ISI, use the media to produce quality politicians to shut up unseen forces. With corrupt people like sitting in the present President Zardari-led Government, you can not control the Army/ISI.

The purpose of journalism is not to please those who hold power or be the mouthpiece of governments. The media must simultaneously protect the masses, a stable political system, and strong & independent institutions. There is an epidemic of corruption today. One has to get to the root of the matter and eliminate it there. Over the last four years particularly, the political system has become more corrupt which has affected governance. Government institutions are under immense pressure. The media should create a sense of understanding of the real issues and force politicians to be careful and listen to people. Certainly, all media outlets bear the imprint of certain biases and interests, but Pakistan should be not the place that lends itself to specific editorial direction based on power and money. Many journalists are crooks and serving this historical corrupt government. The journalists who become beggars in the presence of the politicians, then information reaching the people will continue to be that of fake hopes. The position being so, it seems Pakistan is an aggregation of confused people enslaved by President Zardari and tropical gangsters. Media is running by businessmen and the people are working they are professionals having big dream for their life. In search of headlines with utter disregard to whether their stories are factual or in any way useful to the country, they are failing in an important responsibility as journalists. They need power, money and lavish life. Those who pay highest amount, media are dancing on his tune. Reliability of media is over.

It appears that not only the management behind some TV. Channels is irresponsible, the news readers too are equally irresponsible. Most of the channel’s anchor persons are sitting in ‘glass houses’ and totally isolated from the realities of what is happening across the nation.  This is evident from the talk shows and the type of participants they bring for discussions on issue that are totally alien to them. Many journalists are on payrolls other than from the media groups they are supposed to work for is an open secret. Most of the people are of the firm opinion that Government has purchased almost all channels (with exception of few), and the media is behaving very irresponsibly.

No one is perfect in this world and so is the media. My intent is in no way to degrade the media, rather I would highlight there is still a lot of scope for improvement by which media can meet the aspirations of the people for which it is meant. Certainly there are patriot journalists who report, investigate and analyze, they inform us about politics, religion, celebrities, the arts, sports, revolutions and wars. They entertain and sometimes annoy us. But most important of all, they are “public watchdogs”. This role is fundamental for democracy. Freedom of the media is also essential for the protection of all other human rights. But I have no iota of doubt that the media practitioners in Pakistan loyal to their profession and to the state are working under extremely hard conditions. They are always intimidated by state security operatives and in some cases, some, have lost their lives, under unclear circumstances. There are examples of misuse of power, corruption, discrimination and even physical torture because of the work of investigative journalists. The life threat to one journalist leads to silencing many others. Very often they are the true and honest investigative journalists who pay with their life.  Many other reporters have fled for fear of their lives. Writing a piece or conducting a TV talk show  that criticizes the ruling elite is an assured ticket either to accept bribe or be ready to sacrifice his life. Media in Pakistan is not completely independent.

With the passage of time it will become a more matured and a more responsible entity. Presently what is common amongst media groups having joined hands with corrupt politicians, again with the exception of few, is their blatant and crude attempt to promote a system in which leftists should be the main players in the body polity, the rightists being sought to be marginalised.  This tendency will have to be eliminated. The politicians and the corrupt mafia in such media groups must wake up now. If the poor and the dispossessed take to the streets then the demonstrations would not be peaceful because they will unleash their rage on everyone. The media should help people in making informed decisions and this will lead to beginning of a new era in a democracy. A nation can’t be build without truly teaching the morals and nationalism which is seriously missing in Pakistan because of cheap party politics. When there is a degeneration of basics, society or nation are likely to be doomed. In the end I would say the governments’ responsibility in ensuring safety of journalists is also paramount. Governments must demonstrate forcefully that they are prepared to protect the freedom of the media, not only in words, but also through concrete action.