Role and Importance of Media in Pakistan

Communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, data or promotional messages are disseminated. Media includes every broadcasting and narrowcasting medium such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax, and internet. Media is the plural of medium and can take a plural or singular verb, depending on the sense intended.

Before discussing the importance and drawbacks of media we should go through the History of Media in Pakistan. Print is the oldest media of mass communication. Newspapers can reach greater masses of public. They allow readers to control exposure. This not only gives us the facts about an event or issue but also explains and interprets them. In 1947, Pakistan inherited a weak press with very little law for controlling and regulating the press. Very few news were published in the newly born Pakistan. In East Pakistan and Baluchistan not a single newspaper was published. The NWFP had two daily papers. Newspapers owned by Muslims came to Pakistan. These include Daily Azad and morning news (shifted to Dhaka), Dawn, jang and anjam (set up in Karachi). After independence, a number of newspapers were published but due to financial constraint and many other reasons, their publication did not continue i.e. Roshni, inqallqb, musalman. There were only three radio stations in Lahore, Peshawar and Dhaka. English press was not so healthy at the time of independence due to educational under development. Not a single daily newspaper could be published from the area of East Pakistan from 1947 till 1971.The first news agency of Pakistan was associated press of Pakistan (APP). It was established in 1947 by an Eastern news trust. It was a private agency from 1947 to 1961. Government took over its control on 5th June 1961 by an ordinance called “Associated Press of Pakistan taking ordinance 1961”Other than APP, there are six more news agencies: Pakistan Press International (1968),Pakistan Agency (1992), News Network International (1992) and United News Agency (UNA).

Media empowerment is a sign of true democracy, a medium to communicate with the youth and the entire world. Media definitely has a responsibility on its shoulders, which is to guide the people. People have blind faith in the media and they are convinced that what they hear or what the media has declared is correct. So media should avoid negative exaggeration of matters. For example, Russian news channel “Russian Today” commonly known as “RT” published news about attack on Georgian president. They scared the people claiming that Georgian President Saakashvili has been killed in an attack. This news had no authenticity. The role of media is to provide such information and news which is based on reality instead of those which are far from facts. People involved in media should be aware that their viewers have a deep influence on their lives. The content displayed or published by them on television, newspaper or broadcast by radio has great influence on its viewer’s lives and it can change their lifestyle!

Considering this fact that media has the power to influence society, it should know its responsibility towards society. It should feel its responsibility to educate the society in a positive way. It should be giving us fair analysis and factual information.
Media plays a vital role our society and is a part of our life. Media is a bridge between the governing bodies and general public. It is a powerful and flexible tool that influences the public to a great extent. Media is voice of the voiceless and a great force in building the nation.
As Mark Twain has said:
“There are only two forces that can carry light to all the corners of the globe... the sun in the heavens and the Associated Press down here”.

No doubt about this because media is the only powerful medium in Pakistan that can change the minds of people so that instead of waiting for someone else we all participate in making this country a successful part of world. In year 2002 when media was not as popular as it is now, common man didn’t know annals of what is happening around. The loads of information have become possible because of media that we know every single story of the world. We have the access to all the international news channels that provide us the facts and figures.

Now coming to the importance of media I must say that media and judiciary are two independent pillars to save the country from sudden slippage. Judiciary put down number of good decisions in her little age of independence which is only one year. Whereas media is older than judiciary and it shows no positive alterations in people's attitude towards the ridiculous change.
Hence we can say that in Pakistan the responsibility of media is much more than any media in the world, because Pakistan needs a big change and only media is now, as much powerful. At present media is the only source which is easily accessible by all walks of people through various electronic appliances i.e. TV, Radio, Internet, News Papers and now mobile phones also used by people to aware of events every time.
Media affects people's perceptions and priorities their thinking about the political contents. Media shapes the public's behavior about the issues and plays vital role in highlighting certain attributes of issues.
Gatekeepers of the media i.e. (editors, news editors, and other journalists) they all play central role in shaping the media agenda which becomes public agenda after sometime.
Media of any country is reflection of that country. It shows that how person behave and live in their country. The way of expressing news, way of talking of politicians in political debates and discussion programs shows the behavior of people of that country. Although media's responsibility is to spread true stories but media should be careful in this regard. They have to adopt such a way in which they could aware public without impacting negatively their minds sets and make them able to protest in a true manner which could result oriented.

No doubt about the fact that media has brought a very great change in our thinking but I my opinion media should take care of national image to the world. Media has always been a unique and sophisticated ground to play on when we talk about image building, it is good to be truthful, but when we talk about national interest, it’s our obligatory to be noiseless on certain instances so the issues can be sorted out within our own people without being influenced or carried away by the international community who will never come forward to extend their support to resolve our domestic problem. They will take advantage of the situation and will work on their aged tale of ‘divide and rule’. Image building is more likely to produce desirable perceptions when action conforms to the projected images. It is important to identify a fact that that it is easy to maintain an old negative image or to gain a new negative image, but, it is extremely difficult to build a new positive image of a country. To put it in a different way that it is painless to be branded with horrific image and very hard to rectify and heal the wound. According to me the answer of question that what media can do in making us one nation is that firstly, all the news provided by television, radio, newspaper etc must be authentic. Secondly, column writers in newspapers should write in way that can change our minds. Holding cross discussions is also a better way. Instead of meaningless dramas, there should be programs on revolutionary thoughts. Media should be more concerned about the neglected parts of country like Baluchistan, media should listen their problems and carry them to the higher authorities, and this will help a lot to keep them out of that inferiority complex.
Media is playing very important role today like: * Media is strengthening development in Pakistan. * Media has supported democracy. * Media has highlighted public issues. * Media has given voice to neglected elements of society. * It also provides entertainment.
According to me, media has a significant and indispensable place in our lives. It brings to us the true face of today’s world – a face which is usually hidden from the common man. It makes us realize that we are being ruled by the wrong people – politicians who are only interested in their personal gains and not the welfare of their people. I salute the media for its incomparable contribution which will definitely, benefit the nation and its people in the long run.