Media Freedom in Pakistan: Curse or a Blessing
The right to pursue knowledge is often an underrated phenomenon especially in respect to current political scenario. We live in a world overloaded with information and keeping something hidden has become a tougher task than it was 20 years ago. This eruption of information has resulted in the growth of a class amongst the masses who are more politically and socially aware than the previous generations. However, it is also important to realize the costs that this knowledge can concur on one’s individuality and perception of events.
Media in all forms is a prime source of information today. It helps mould people’s opinion, is a catalyst for social progress and is also creating a populace which is politically aware. There are multiple private news channels, numerous magazines and newspapers along with varied Radio channels in operation today in Pakistan. Much of this progress, ironically, has come under the tutelage of a military dictator of Pervez Musharraf in the past decade. This begs a question: does the lack of provision of knowledge in totalitarian regime impede the social progress of its subjects?
Pakistani media industry has blossomed from a sole state-sponsored TV channel to an efficient profiting industry. It’s not a surprise that many of the private TV channels are run purely as a business entity because of which journalistic ethics suffers unfortunate casualties. However, it is these channels which are responsible for much of public awakening too. They are responsible for deliverance of the most relevant and sensationalist news stories which would probably have remain dormant in the past. The correlation between corruption and the level of media coverage can also serve as an interesting research hypotheses for the academics. This is because of the importance given to covering and bringing to fore the major corruption scandals. It is also safe to say that indeed no one is safe from the prying eyes of media in Pakistan today (presently Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister have both been under the hammer for their obvious exploits).
Another interesting aspect of the Pakistani media industry is that it is still very young and prone to mistakes. Manipulation and misinformation are the usual plagues which affect the industry still in its infancy. However, it should also be ensured that these practices are particularly deemed intolerant. This presents the society with moral dilemma of acting as judge for the authenticity of media behavior. I say this because media channels are run as business entities in Pakistan meaning that they believe in the cut-throat world of profit generation. This results in the creation of sensationalist news reporting with creating an atmosphere of excitement (negative mostly and positive) thereby translating into increased TRP’s. Honest and seasoned journalists would agree towards creating a more responsible reporting environment based on strict journalistic ethics but will they also be appreciative of laws of supply and demand remains to be seen.
I have witnessed media shackling under totalitarian regimes whose actions are absolutely vulnerable to internal criticism. Their subjects as a result suffer from lack of political awareness and naivety due to this restricted flow of information. The Arab spring has brought to the fore a new class of media which has given voice to the most passive of them all. Social media outlets of Twitter and Facebook served as a catalyst during these Arab Springs which demonstrates the power of media if utilized effectively and for the right purpose. However, there are obvious costs attached to practicing our right to acquiring knowledge and promoting media freedom in order to attain valuable information about our society.
Knowledge is like lost innocence, however unsettling you find it, it can never be unknown. It is then left for us to decide whether we carry on with this pursuance of knowledge and information or settle for living in a hypothetical world where our actions are left un-scrutinized.

A blessing or a curse
No doubt, a great revolution in media can be observed in the last few years, its freedom has changed many perspectives. This freedom has brought some disadvantages along with the package of advantages. Without any objection, it has played a vital role in the society, but if we glance on the other side of the mirror we can see that its freedom has hit the cultural pillars of our society.

The fusion of other cultures in our culture has demolished our moral values. Adaptation of some good customs is not a bad idea, but when the religious boundaries are destroyed with the blend of some other perspectives, then the individuality of the culture is smashed that affects a nation's identity.

The youth of our country may not know about the history of the establishment of Pakistan but they can tell the customs of our neighbouring country quickly. The freedom of media should not cross moral and religious restrictions. Many scenes show the children about those relations that they should not be shown of before a certain age. Their immature minds get bad impacts and ultimately destroy their innocent personality. This exposure directs their thoughts into new tracks that can affect their nature-building.

I request to all to keep an eye on their children to save them from the disadvantages of the media. I also request the government that they implement some law to save the norms of our culture in society. Those programmes should be banned that erase the differentiation between black and white.

Is Social Media a Blessing or a Curse?
The way I see it, it all depends on how these sites, like Facebook or Twitter, are being used. Social media itself can be abused, overused, and taken advantage of. However, the power of social media itself is probably greater than the power of any person, any novel, any ruler, or even any country. But, whether that incredible power is a blessing or a curse is also one matter to question.
The power of social media can be something extremely influential. This first took a huge toll in the beginning of 2011 with the political upheaval of Egypt. The Internet's far-reaching speed combined with social media websites to create something unforgettable. The voices of Egypt stood together to overthrow the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and they spread all throughout the world. The power of social media was also noted when Mexicans turned to it for survival, not too long ago.
At first, this served as a revolution. For the very first time, people's voices and opinions were coming together to form something larger than themselves. But we have to wonder, is that power too much? History has repeated itself in telling us that it becomes a problem when one voice has too much power. One only needs to look at people like Hitler, Idi Amin, and Mao Zong for proof that giving one voice too much power can sink an entire people or nation. And in Egypt, this corrupting nature of power turned itself over from the ruler to the subjects which resulted in the same horrific effect. From this, it is clear that social media has a way of lending itself to this attribute of power.
Another way social media can act as a curse is through its changing the behavior of our society. Some say social media sites can lend to shorter attentions and less efficient work. Not only that, but my generation, that is, teenagers, tends to abuse social media and use it for popularity. Despite social media being a term with the connotation of connecting us, that seems to be one thing it is doing least. People who abuse Facebook, for example, by requesting and accepting as many 'friends' as possible, up to thousands, are giving those relationships artificial traits. Those relationships are so scattered and insignificant that many people don't even know some of their 'friends.' These thinning relationships have no such value, and are illusions of genuine relationships. In this abuse of social media, values of building relationships and making new connections, as were the intentions of social media, are taken away and transformed wrongfully. Nevertheless, many people do use social media for positive purposes, which leads me to the side of social media that is a complete blessing to this modern world.
When used correctly, the benefits of social media can far outweigh some of its downfalls. Social media changes the world every day, in ways both small and large. For everyone who uses it, social media at least promotes and encourages communication and lends to more modern ways of learning and communicating. Not only do they lend to more efficiency in our rapidly evolving technologically advanced society, but social media sites are also some of the best ways to positively influence people by sharing your opinions. They act as platforms for your voice. If you have great ideas or want to be heard or found, websites like Google+, Twitter, and LinkedIn can promote those good intentions. Through these sites, you can find millions of people who share the same interests as you, and start making a difference, step by step.
Social media websites can operate as both curses and blessings in our modern society. The difference between it as a curse and a blessing all hangs on the shoulders of its users. You may choose to abuse the potential of Facebook, or to change the world with Twitter. The difference in your actions may be small, but the end result varies greatly, and it is up to you to decide social media's role in your life.