Pak Tea House » journalism, Media, Opinion » Pakistani Media: Misinformation and manipulation
Pakistani Media: Misinformation and manipulation
The purpose of the media is an easy one to understand. The dissemination of factual information on issue relevant to the citizenry. This entails (or should entail) a research and effort to uncover the truth, as well as a responsibility to uphold principles of free speech, adequate voice (as absolute voice and impartiality is impossible) and a separation to some extent from the control of politics. Thus the media has always been imagined as a ‘watchdog’ in its role in politics. This is what it was traditionally meant to be, thus its freedom was protected (like during the American Revolution when printing presses came in vogue) and thus its is critiqued today based on how free it is and how free it lets itself be (like Chomskys critique of the role of the media during the War on Terror). But who watches the watchdog?
Recently Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Nadeem Ul Haque was asked by a reporter on him speaking at the National Defence University (NDU) on December 26 against the nuclear program. In fact the reporter had his story wrong. It seems his “facts” were based on what he thought usually goes on at the NDU and he was oblivious to what the expertise of Nadeem Ul Haque was. Haque was actually scheduled to speak on the Planning Commission’s New Growth Framework, but the event had been cancelled due to lack of interest.
Thus Haque raised an important question in this article he wrote after the interaction with that reporter: “Why should such reform not get media space? Whose fault is this?”
He went on to say: “I know they want a headline against the current establishment. Consequently, all governments regardless of creed and origin have avoided serious governance/civil service reform. All have failed to change the paradigm on market competition. No government has attempted to use public service delivery to underpin our governance approach. No government has reviewed our current approach to urban development that produces a sprawl… Our intellectuals’ efforts, evident in the media, display little interest in these crucial issues. Countries seeking development spend a far larger proportion of their public debate on crucial development issues than we do.”
If the media does not pick up on issues that actually require policy reform, it will never signal the politicians and policy makers to reform nor will it create space for a debate on the issues that really matter.
As this Pak Media Watch article puts it: “If reporters are hunting for headlines against the government 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.”
This brings us to the second issue. Where have all the honest journalists gone? A narrow focus on specific types of stories is one thing but blatant lies and corruption is another. This story is just one example of the decay of the media profession itself. Najir Nazi in 2009 caught himself in a plot scandal (had it been today it would be sensationalized ridiculously as “plotgate”). A reporter called him and asked about illegal allotment of plots by the federal government and got a dose of expletives, and the established journalist unabashedly told the reporter to even record his words that would put PTA to shame.
Our watchdogs are certainly not above the dirty game the rest of the country is playing, heavily ties into local politics. Why would the media then talk about things like a New Growth Framework or public service delivery, when kicking the opposition in the shin and then using it as a headline is what can bring them closer to a G-8 plot allotment? (Read about it here)
Media to an extent is always funded and influenced by politics. However, in well function democracies, the media thought not unbiased, takes a position and provides information on policy, business, economy and development rather than only infotainment and vapid critiques of individual politicians that has no bearing on the conditions of the masses. A cursory look at Pakistani media takes us so far way from the ideals that this essay started off with that one feels dirty. If only the media felt it too.
Filed under: journalism, Media, Opinion · Tags: accountability, corruption, development, free speech, Media, political, Watchdog
16 Responses to "Pakistani Media: Misinformation and manipulation"
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[...] Pakistani Media: Dogs or watchdogs? By admin | December 30, 2011 December 30th, 2011 | Add a Comment [...]
[...] Pakistani Media: Watchdogs or gods? By admin | December 30, 2011 December 30th, 2011 | 1 Comment [...]
Pakistani media is full of indian sponsored qadiani pricks
http://www.hacklejackle.blogspot.com/
the above comment is very offensive. with such a mindset nither the media nor Pakistani politics are going to reform. very ashamed of imran mirza and his like
truth hurts
[...] Pakistani Media: Misinformation and manipulation By admin | December 31, 2011 December 30th, 2011 | 5 Comments [...]
it is sick to see political leg pulling by the opposition when issues of poverty, water and schools take a back seat. Sharam aani chahiay nazir abasi jaisay jhooton ko.
mirzaio mirzay ki shakal dekho or tauba kero
http://www.hacklejackle.blogspot.com/
[...] Pakistani Media: Misinformation and manipulation [...]
Really guys, how can you criticize the media when they keep you up to date with articles like these?
ALERTS TO TERROR THREATS IN 2011 EUROPE
by John Cleese
The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.
The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let’s Get the Bastards.” They don’t have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.
The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France ‘s white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country’s military capability.
Italy has increased the alert level from”Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”
Belgians, on the othr hand, are all on holiday, as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels .
The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.
Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from “No Worries” to “She’ll Be Alright, Mate.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we’ll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is cancelled.” So far, no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.
John Cleese – British writer, actor, and tall person.
Lady Guinevere – Artist, photographer, Horsewoman, and beautiful lady!
[...] Courtesy: Pak Tea House [...]
@lady Guinevere if only john cleese was on pK TV rather than meher bokhari or zaid hamid.
The major problem with most of the channels is that they do not have professional teams backing up programmes with the right research and analysis. They are owned and run by people who have money but little know-how of professional management. With little strategy on programming, they just clone all major talk shows and try to attain viewership by going to great lengths to become bizarre and mega sensational. Most of these channels have little programming of their own and constantly use Indian movies and reruns of earlier programmes to fill up airtime. In such an environment, the life of a more professional and decent anchor becomes difficult. The media industry has to grow up. It must realise that to survive it has to stop cloning programmes. The lack of differentiation in channel strategy has become a serious hindrance to the maturity of this industry. As viewers in Pakistan become more choosy and demanding, the industry will find itself shelving many players who lack identity and are simply photocopying the better players in the game. They aim to bash Govt for all the wrong reasons and earn their livelihood. This trend should end now if channels have to exist. A balance policy is mandatory in order to keep viewers intact.
a boy 8 year old practiced Vaishnav jan To Tene Kahiye Je Peed Parai… in the school for centenary of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVbE2pvmh1M Did not understand a word! But Bhav entered in the heart. For 2 weeks or so this boy saved half is lunch box and stopped at the brick kiln on the way home to feed a baby girl barely 1-2 year old where her mother toiled in hot sun.
There was newspaper library on the way….boy started stopping at the newspaper ..probably thinking it will improve his Marathi, Hindi…
It started giving a weird identity… connection to the brick kiln, its muddy soil, the wet eyes of the little girl and the appreciative loving look of her mother was lost… boy stopped saving his lunch and stopping at the brick kiln.
Boy was “channeled” to devils way and its Darabari G-giri and utterly dehumanized by the words channeled to him from distant delhi, mumbai and pune.
In a society starved of any diversity of thought, perspective or ideology, with the only preoccupation being to wonder apprehensively which news will bring the worst tidings, it is but natural that the media industry has become an auction house for the lowest form of talk and discussion possible. They thrive on spokespersons of various parties coming in with the intention of making such a ruckus that the viewer gets glued to the screen, not fascinated by its content but horrified by the style of discourse. These anchors deliberately pitch guests against each other, intentionally dare them to make empty statements and then catch them off guard to make them even more upset and retaliatory.
There is a contest between channels, there is a contest between anchors, and there is a contest between spokespersons. Unfortunately, the contest-winning criteria are based on all the wrong reasons. With so much going wrong with the country, television channels have become addicted to showing the obvious. The government has defaulted on all counts and the public is sick of its repeated follies. Thus, to report on these two areas is easy and needed. Television reporters are judged on how quickly they can break news and how effective the news is for breaking the nerves of the viewers. In this race to be the first to depress the viewers, the authenticity of news many times becomes secondary, causing a lot of unnecessary anguish to viewers. Since there is hardly any accountability, channels continue their electronic gossiping with fearless fluency. To bolster this raunchy, rude style of reporting, most of the channels are choosing young, glib talking, mocking and hugely lacking in substance anchors. Since most of these anchors do not have political depth, the programmes they conduct are based on base repetitive issues that divert attention from their own lack of preparation and knowledge. As we have observed time and again. Memogate is one of the lucid examples that have been wrongly exploited by the media pundits.
The notion of a clash of institutions might be a wishful thinking of anti-democratic forces. Incumbent Govt is much more mature and wise; unlike storming judiciary government said it respects all the state institutions and would ensure that they functioned within their constitutional ambit. Those having a deep wish of confrontation between state institutions must remember that it may lead to military dictatorship. Pakistan’s history is replete with unfortunate examples of state institutions playing a collusive role in allowing military dictators to sustain their illegitimate rule once they usurped power unconstitutionally. Since the present democracy is fragile and far from consolidated, there are some sections opposed to the present government who are ready go to any extent to derail the system. During NRO case gods of doom and gloom were eager to see Zardari sent packing home but unfortunately their dream could not realize, After that several other times Judiciary tried to bring Govt on a face off, so that it could derail democracy but Govt always showed acumen and wisdom, either it was the case of NRO, NICL, Hajj Scandal or PCO Judges case Govt always respected Judiciary. Supreme Court should also realize now that Democracy can function properly if state institution work with mutual respect and none of them poses itself as a ‘saviour’ of the nation, as has been the practice in the past, in order to destabilize the incumbent government.