Media Mash

Media in any country has a significant role to play in the country’s success. Media has a strong influence on people’s attitude and behavior. And if I am talking about Pakistan then the role of Pakistani media has been in question for a long time. It’s a long debate that either our media are playing a positive role and educating the masses or destroying their mind set. Our film industry was already in critical dilemma and only producing sub-standard films which have limited viewership. Once in a blue moon a good movie is produced and obviously that is not enough for the whole industry. Pakistan viewers have to rely on foreign films which are absolutely far better than Pakistani films. But these movies impose their culture and traditions on us. Their norms penetrated into the minds of our younger generation like slow poison. Pakistani film industry needs to raise its standards and should produce quality movies to attract educated people to the cinema and to counter this psychological warfare.

The Pakistani drama industry is one of the most powerful industries in South Asia. Unfortunately, a few years ago, a dark period began in our drama industry when Indian drama serials captured viewership and attracted much attention with their glamorous dramas. The situation worsened when Turkish dramas started airing on Pakistani channels.

Our younger generation especially the women of all ages have become so accustomed to these channels that they rarely miss an episode of drama serial. On the other side our TV channels have failed to fight against the foreign propaganda. Our TV channels were supposed to promote our Islamic traditions and Pakistani culture but unfortunately they started following foreign media content.

But just because of some media outlet’s interest, we should not completely eradicate and forego the interests of our own drama industry. Pakistani dramas face the untimely end that the Pakistani film industry encountered. How can we keep eradicating our culture over and over again???

Although this problem was already effectively highlighted by social media. But collective efforts are required to stop the cultural invasion. PEMRA should take action to regularize the stream of foreign and dubbed content on national private TV channels. The Government rightly emphasized on self-regulation but this is nowhere to be seen and now even common people are acknowledging that the media must operate within a reasonable framework.

All I have to say is that if it is necessary to on air their content than it should be passed through some filters. As it is directly affecting our culture and not only our culture but local TV production industry. Nowhere in the world media allowed to be used for only sensationalism and glamour that we witness on some of our channels. Pakistan is rich in culture as well as talent. There is just a need to utilize it in the best possible ways to support our industry and sustain it at the best level.