Post by Areff on Jan 27, 2013 19:00:58 GMT
Why We Hate Pakistani Media
Submitted by smuhammad on January 27, 2013 – 12:20 am
by Atiq Durrani
A tug of War between Pakistan Mainstream Media and Alternative Media is heating up by the day because of Ideological differences between these two. The alternative media criticizes mainstream media for its corrupt Anchors/Analysts, its vulgarity in different programs and its tilt towards India and Indian culture. conversely social media is criticized by the mainstream media and they accuse it of being made of not professional journalists or reporters; that social media is promoting religious extremism; that social media is narrow minded and that it promotes hatred for India/UK/US/Israel, Hindu/Jews/Christians.
In a recent post titled “How much do you hate Pakistan’s media?” in “The Express Tribune Blog”, alternative media especially Facebook pages were targeted. The closing line of this post was “But what else could we expect? The media as an institution is after all, a mirror of the society it is operating in”. This is perfectly true and that’s what Alternative Media and the viewers are crying about. That is also the answer for “why we hate Pakistani Media?” Mainstream Media should be the mirror of society it is operating in but our media became the mirror of India and Turkey. It’s projecting their images, their plays, their stories, their views, their social values into our society. This reaction can also be found in the comments on this post. 75-80% agreed to the contents of alternative media. Question is not “How much we hate Pakistan’s media” the question is “Why we hate Pakistani Media”.
Ideologies of MM (Mainstream Media) and AM (Alternative Media)
To get a clear view of Ideologies of MM and AM it is important to refer to the ideology of Pakistan. Pakistan’s Ideology was based on the vision of its Founding Fathers, every nation crafts its National Purpose and vision on the basis of the vision given to them by their founding fathers, For Pakistan, it is without a doubt, the “Two Nation Theory” which meant being a separate nation. Muslims have their own religion, their own civilization, their own customs, their own culture and a totally different way of life from other religions, cultures, customs and traditions. Like any other distinct nation, Muslims also cannot be merged or sub-merged in or under any other nation because their philosophy of life is based on the principles of Islam, their religion, to which they refer as the complete code of life.
Social media is mainly an instrument not used by “Mass Media outlets”, who are busy in “perception management” through their instruments, it is crowded and “owned” by the same public, that Mainstream media claims to mirror itself. This domain of the public, strictly follows the Ideology and identity of Pakistan given to them by their founding fathers, and when this same public feels that Mainstream Media is not doing due justice, they jump in to do the job themselves.
On the other side the ‘two nation theory’ itself is criticized by SAFMA journalists by saying that the ‘two nation theory’ is not valid after the separation of East Pakistan, though, despite of rifts in between SAFMA journalists, we see that they are quite consistent on this one point agenda, “Change the Identity of Pakistan”. Unfortunately, in the name of enlightment and progressive approach, these media outlets are promoting, things that our society is not accepting. Hence, a clash of interest is visible between the two entities.
Submitted by smuhammad on January 27, 2013 – 12:20 am
by Atiq Durrani
A tug of War between Pakistan Mainstream Media and Alternative Media is heating up by the day because of Ideological differences between these two. The alternative media criticizes mainstream media for its corrupt Anchors/Analysts, its vulgarity in different programs and its tilt towards India and Indian culture. conversely social media is criticized by the mainstream media and they accuse it of being made of not professional journalists or reporters; that social media is promoting religious extremism; that social media is narrow minded and that it promotes hatred for India/UK/US/Israel, Hindu/Jews/Christians.
In a recent post titled “How much do you hate Pakistan’s media?” in “The Express Tribune Blog”, alternative media especially Facebook pages were targeted. The closing line of this post was “But what else could we expect? The media as an institution is after all, a mirror of the society it is operating in”. This is perfectly true and that’s what Alternative Media and the viewers are crying about. That is also the answer for “why we hate Pakistani Media?” Mainstream Media should be the mirror of society it is operating in but our media became the mirror of India and Turkey. It’s projecting their images, their plays, their stories, their views, their social values into our society. This reaction can also be found in the comments on this post. 75-80% agreed to the contents of alternative media. Question is not “How much we hate Pakistan’s media” the question is “Why we hate Pakistani Media”.
Ideologies of MM (Mainstream Media) and AM (Alternative Media)
To get a clear view of Ideologies of MM and AM it is important to refer to the ideology of Pakistan. Pakistan’s Ideology was based on the vision of its Founding Fathers, every nation crafts its National Purpose and vision on the basis of the vision given to them by their founding fathers, For Pakistan, it is without a doubt, the “Two Nation Theory” which meant being a separate nation. Muslims have their own religion, their own civilization, their own customs, their own culture and a totally different way of life from other religions, cultures, customs and traditions. Like any other distinct nation, Muslims also cannot be merged or sub-merged in or under any other nation because their philosophy of life is based on the principles of Islam, their religion, to which they refer as the complete code of life.
Social media is mainly an instrument not used by “Mass Media outlets”, who are busy in “perception management” through their instruments, it is crowded and “owned” by the same public, that Mainstream media claims to mirror itself. This domain of the public, strictly follows the Ideology and identity of Pakistan given to them by their founding fathers, and when this same public feels that Mainstream Media is not doing due justice, they jump in to do the job themselves.
On the other side the ‘two nation theory’ itself is criticized by SAFMA journalists by saying that the ‘two nation theory’ is not valid after the separation of East Pakistan, though, despite of rifts in between SAFMA journalists, we see that they are quite consistent on this one point agenda, “Change the Identity of Pakistan”. Unfortunately, in the name of enlightment and progressive approach, these media outlets are promoting, things that our society is not accepting. Hence, a clash of interest is visible between the two entities.
