Role of Media in Pakistani Politics since 1999

[Savak]

One thing that we must give Musharraf credit for is the fact that a lot of TV News channels opened up in Pakistan. It was under Musharraf that Politicians actually started coming on TV, on talkshows, in interviews, debating issues and airing their opinions out in the open.

I believe where the likes of Zardari and Nawaz Sharif will suffer this time will be battling the power of the media because the media is in a strong position to influence the masses now.

[MIG]

How independent is Pakistani media? Do you feel that some media persons favour certain politicians?

[deviously~fading~away]

Originally Posted by MIG How independent is Pakistani media? Do you feel that some media persons favour certain politicians?

How independent is Pakistani media? Not much. Some channels & Persons certainly favor certain politicians more than others.

[Little Master]

Originally Posted by deviously~fading~away How independent is Pakistani media? Not much. Some channels & Persons certainly favor certain politicians more than others.

Not really but they do have their own agendas. I remember just one year back GEO TV was over enthusiastic in their support for PPP during and after the elections and just look at one year down the line.

[Savak]

Originally Posted by MIG How independent is Pakistani media? Do you feel that some media persons favour certain politicians?

It doesnt matter. Even in the US, Fox News favors the Republicans wholeheartedly. One thing i know, banning any news channel is the most undemocratic step any so called democratic government can take apart from arresting politicians and peaceful protestors as well.

[Wazeeri]

[QUOTE]One thing that we must give Musharraf credit for is the fact that a lot of TV News channels opened up in Pakistan.[QUOTE]

I don't think Musharraf should be given credit for this as it was clearly unintentional.

The credit goes to technology for now we can have Pakistani channels based outside of Pakistan outside the jurisdiction of the leaders of Pakistan.

Musharraf gave the media freedom because at that time it suited him, when the media turned on him Musharraf showed his true colours, hence he deserves no credit.

As for the media I think they have at times been excessive with their powers and we need some sort of control or checks in place to make sure that the media does not manipulate the people. We don't want a fox news type evil in our country.

But the media in Pakistan is still new and the checks and balances are a work in progress, we will inshallah see all power centres in Pakistan restricted with the adequate controls.

[Savak]

[QUOTE=Wazeeri][QUOTE]One thing that we must give Musharraf credit for is the fact that a lot of TV News channels opened up in Pakistan.

I don't think Musharraf should be given credit for this as it was clearly unintentional. The credit goes to technology for now we can have Pakistani channels based outside of Pakistan outside the jurisdiction of the leaders of Pakistan. Musharraf gave the media freedom because at that time it suited him, when the media turned on him Musharraf showed his true colours, hence he deserves no credit.

But he did take the initiative of encouraging the electronic media and encouraged the news channels unlike our politicians of the 90's and before that.

It didnt take Zardari a minute to turn against the likes of Geo the moment they destroyed him left right and centre and neither will it take Nawaz Sharif a minute longer to do the same.

Musharraf tolerated the media for 7-8 years before he finally acted against it. It was under his reign that politicians had the freedom to come on TV, criticize the government, say whatever they wanted against it on TV. This tolerance has nothing to do with technology. So yes Pakistani history will recognize that our news industry flourished under Musharraf's reign as oppossed to any other leader.

As for the media I think they have at times been excessive with their powers and we need some sort of control or checks in place to make sure that the media does not manipulate the people. We don't want a fox news type evil in our country. But the media in Pakistan is still new and the checks and balances are a work in progress, we will inshallah see all power centres in Pakistan restricted with the adequate controls.

People are smart enough to learn which channel reports fairly and which channel sensationalizes stuff. Banning any news channel or putting any sort of restrictions is just undemocratic. A lot of Americans know what Fox News is about and dont take it too seriously. People learn with time.

[Wazeeri]

But he did take the initiative of encouraging the electronic media and encouraged the news channels unlike our politicians of the 90's and before that.

No the initiative was taken long before him, I used to believe that Musharraf started this as well until I watched hamid Mirs show where Imran Khan and a PPP member completely smashed this claim to pieces.

PPP and PML in the 90s acted exactly how Musharraf acted. They allowed people to start newspapers and channels by giving them license willy nilly to earn some money, when these people turned on them PPP and PML would come down on them like a tonne of bricks.

Musharraf did exactly the same.

So why did Musharraf manage to get so many news channels started in such a short period of time??? You ask

Answer he didn't. Technology did.

A similar burst of channels occured in India as well where 24 news channels were unheard off in the 90s. Now they have dozens of these channels as does the rest of the world.

Satellite dishes are cheaper now, it is cheaper to setup a small studio and start broadcasting. You have tax havens in Dubai which have made operations even cheaper.

The reason for this growth is not a better environment in Pakistan for journalists but the whole industry becoming really profitable hence attracting the investment required which wasn't available in the 90s.

[insaftak]

anyone who doesn't give credit to musharf for this people power is insane

[saadibaba]

I think our media has become a MONSTER. It is less interested in reporting the news and more interested on taking sides and commenting.

The so called "anchors" are all aligned to one party/cause or another. They fail to see that their job is not to take sides but to report the news. In US Fox or MSNBC can be taken as slightly similar to what is going on in pretty much all the news channels in Pakistan. But not this extent, plus in US there are a lot of neutral or un-biased channel e.g. PBS, NBC, CBS, ABC and CNN to some extent.

Our media is under some illusion that its his job play an important role in bringing revolution in the country. Geo in particular is running ads, songs, clips over and over again favoring one party/cause and humiliating the other. It has the right to do so, but being the biggest channel in Pakistan, it has to take some responsibility of being neutral. Let the analysts on showsexpress their views openly but lets not get carried away.

I actually would like all these so called media players/anchors to be banned indefinitely till the country is stable. There constant drumbeat is putting our country into more jeopardy. Unfortunately, media in our country is in infant stage and needs to be told its boundaries till it grows up to be more mature.

"Watchmen" had a line in it quite relevant to our situation, "Biased media sells better" or something similar.

[Wazeeri]

anyone who doesn't give credit to musharf for this people power is insane

Imran Khan may disown you.

[insaftak]

Originally Posted by Wazeeri Imran Khan may disown you.

jamhooriat main you are allowed to diasgree even with your leaders.. i'm not a jiayala or a matwala,

[Wazeeri]

jamhooriat main you are allowed to diasgree even with your leaders.. i'm not a jiayala or a matwala,

Why are you following a man who by your own words is insane?

[feather]

It does not take a genius to realize regardless where the head quarters for a TV station are that the reporters still have to face the ground realities. They still have to be reporting from our cities. Really how hard is it to slowly phase this out? Not much.

When you have threat of a long march by major political parties...people are on the streets. You need an effective PR team that can leverage the media not shut it down.

Mush for the most part...provided the licensing encouraged the shows in which political views were aired without them having to pay for it. He did go years without limiting the media in any manner.

This is my personal opinion. Geo has its own interests and they will create news out of anything. They simply are not a responsible reporting body.

Everyone in Pakistan and their dog know what has Nawaz and BB/Zardari done in the past. Yet these people used Geo or Geo used them to weaken Mush...instead of telling the people their past...they were hailed as some kind of hero. There stories were aired again again how mush done them wrong. At no point did Geo take advantage of the situation and ask these guys some tough questions.

All Geo has done is supported aggressively one party to power then when it is going down...they are supporting another party now.

Yes, media has played a huge role...however not always a positive one. While they can have their clever funny little cartoon guys ask the tough question of the current government...they fail to do the same until people are in power.

Why aren't Geo exposing Nawaz...why are they providing him with a platform to gain more fans and get the judges restored who will give him an extension to rule as it clear he doesn't give two hoots about them or else he wouldn't have attacked the very same people.

While I do think judges should be restored it is very hard to imagine the CJ is going to look into Nawaz Sharif past crimes and do anything about it or give a verdict against him any time soon.

[Wazeeri]

While I do think judges should be restored it is very hard to imagine the CJ is going to look into Nawaz Sharif past crimes and do anything about it or give a verdict against him any time soon.

CJ has nothing to do with this thread but Geo the TV station did answer that point of yours very well in one of their cartoon ads.

If someone has fought such a long battle on the back of the call for justice, If someone is portraying himself as the provider of justice,

After so much hoopla, after so much blood, he knows that every judgement he gives will be watched by everyone, he knows that every verdict of his will be scrutinised by everyone.

He will have to be very careful and professional otherwise he will end up just like Zardari.

[waqar_ahmad]

Media played a major role in creating awareness among people. Media was responsible for the revolutionary marches on 9th march, and this one.

Mush was not responsible for free media. Media earned its freedom. Even if there was some other ruler at that time, media would have become free and independent.