Although Pakistan media’s struggle to create its independent space dates back to the days of the military dictator Gen. Zia-ul Haq, it is with the opening up of the electronic media that the scale and scope of the media’s impact on society has been the most profound. 2004 was yet another landmark year for the Pakistan media. Just when people believed that the market for English newspapers had been exhausted The Daily Times entered with its intelligent reporting and sound editorials and columns.
Similarly the proliferation of private television channels including new ones like Business Plus and the independent Sindhi and Pashto networks fulfilled the need to approach national issues from differing vantage points.
The media organization SAFMA pulled a coup by organizing a historic first-ever trip of Pakistani journalists to Indian Held Jammu and Kashmir in October 2004. This led to the first splurges of on-the spot reporting of the condition and struggle of the Kashmiris plus their view of the India and Pakistan.
Electronic media is now facilitating development of Pakistan’s art and culture. It allocates large chunks of time to entertainment programs.
Promoting the spirit of social work to help the disadvantaged Geo, Indus television and PTV televised fund-raising galas, telethons and special programs for handicapped.
State institutions managing and regulating the economy, law enforcement, foreign policy and planning are all brought under media spotlight.
The power scene and political landscape, which includes the unconstitutional power managers and the constitutional political players, are thoroughly and candidly reflected in the media through news reports, columns, editorials, interviews and discussion programs.
Numerous political events including back channel meetings and negotiations are regularly reported often pushing the uniformed and civilian players to explain, if not justify, their moves.
Although media reporting does not alter the moves made by either party, it does expose public to reality of Pakistan’s power play and politics.
National security has been broadened to look at nonmilitary issues focusing on internal causes of threat to state and society — be it political, economic, cultural or social development deprivation.
The growing power of media in Pakistan is an unmixed blessing; it has become the “theme setter” for the national and local discourse, it extends to virtually all aspects of life through its programs like Shadi online and Career Online. It has opted for advocacy role urging the public to reclaim the reading habit.
Significantly it has brought a national debate on the national language of Urdu. Previously most debates were restricted to English print media or the state-controlled Pakistan television.
The tremendous progress and significant contribution of the media notwithstanding, the media has to equip itself better for the task it is performing. As the key player in reconstruction of thought and a contributor to the reform of the state and politics the media has to lead a more informed debate. Currently through facilitating an inclusive discourse, Pakistan’s media help to blunt the dangerous and potentially destructive phenomena of exclusion and marginalization.
Media have brought opinions from ideologically and politically opposed camps on a common platform. Extreme views and “final truths” do not stand the test of facts and holistic perspectives.
“Holy cows” and unholy heroes are knocked out. Ultimately a vibrant and candid media facilitate the holistic human development catering to the economic, cultural, spiritual and political needs.
It challenges the power of the strident and self-serving within the national and international context.
Media are “the other” collective power that challenges global and national state power. Ultimately the media of Pakistan have not only publicized the other side of official truth like the Iraq war, the Palestinian issue, the selective application of objectives like distractions of the weapons of the mass destruction, at home it has also broadened space for inclusive politics, creative culture and a conscious intellect.
The state needs to follow the trend set by Pakistan’s media that a system in which everyone has a stake must be created for Pakistan. 2004 easily is the year of the media.
Pakistan, although lying within the zone of global disorder, has also produced a less noticed spectacular feat: The challenging of strangleholds that impede a society’s intellectual evolution, block its cultural creativity and weaken its sensitivity.
Indeed media alone have facilitated this process. Tapping the intellectual energy generated from the tensions of a state and society in transition, uncovering the immense creative energy and recognizing the unhinging of “control” paradigms dictating global affairs, Pakistan’s media entrepreneurs have combined the advantages of technology with the available market opportunity to create this incredible media revolution.
