Role Of Media In Democracy

Introduction

Democracy means ‘A system of government in which all the people of a country can vote
to elect their representatives’. Media came into existence in 1780 with the introduction of
a newspaper namely ‘The Bengal Gazette’ and since then it has matured leaps and
bounds. It has been playing a very important role in shaping human minds.

Role of media

Media plays a crucial role in shaping a healthy democracy. It is the backbone of a

democracy. Media makes us aware of various social, political and economical activities
happening around the world. It is like a mirror, which shows us or strives to show us the
bare truth and harsh realities of life.

The media has undoubtedly evolved and become more active over the years. It is the
media only who reminds politicians about their unfulfilled promises at the time of
elections. T.V news channels’ excessive coverage during elections helps people,
especially illiterates, in electing the right person to the power. This reminder compels
politicians to be upto their promises in order to remain in power.

Television and radio have made a significant achievement in educating rural illiterate
masses in making them aware of all the events in their language. Coverage of exploitative
malpractices of village heads and moneylenders has helped in taking stringent actions
against them by attracting government’s attention.

The media also exposes loopholes in the democratic system, which ultimately helps
government in filling the vacuums of loopholes and making a system more accountable,
responsive and citizen-friendly. A democracy without media is like a vehicle without
wheels.

In the age of information technology we are bombarded with information. We get the
pulse of the world events with just a click of a mouse. The flow of information has
increased manifolds. The perfect blend of technology and human resources...

How The Media Affects Society

The media is undoubtedly a significant and influential aspect in modern day society. As a
means of communication in a world very much advanced in technology, the media
touches all types of people through various forms such as the radio, newspapers,
televisions etc. The question remains: what information is left unbiased and untarnished?
The people within society must sort through the many bits of information fed to them and
unfortunately, in most cases, all bits of media is taken as the whole truth. The ways in
which media impacts society to a great extent are through the facts it chooses to reveal, as
recently seen in the case of the Tamil war in Sri Lanka. The tone in which it is presented
such as the recently reported cases of Tamil protest on the streets of downtown Toronto
and finally in the manner it chooses to target certain audiences, such as the case of
Victoria George-Pazzano in Mexico.
The media affects society through the facts it chooses to reveal. The media can choose to
mention certain things and not to mention certain things. As seen in the recent Tamil war
in Sri Lanka all mainstream media outlets were banned from broadcasting out of the
country. The media then proceeded not to broadcast any of it, leaving people unaware of
it on a global scale, until the Tamils outside of Sri Lanka began to protest and make other
countries aware of the situation. The media chose not to reveal this information and if it
was not for the protest and marches held around the world it is possible, that society
could have never known that genocide was being used against the Tamil Tigers. Society
needs the media to be informed on the events happening around the world, but
sometimes the media may not choose to show us what is exactly going on. This can result
in society not knowing how to react to what is happening in other parts of the world.
Just as important as the facts the media chooses to reveal, the tone and manner in which...

1. PAKISTAN: Media's role in social change discussed

Seminar organizaed by Pakistan Press Foundation highlights media's role
in bringing local issues to light, but stresses that it must also uncover
those abusing the country's resources
Dawn

KARACHI: Speakers at a seminar on Thursday lauded the role of media in

highlighting local issues, especially facing people of rural areas, and
stressed it should now focus on wrong doings and abuse of resources by
elite class in urban areas.

The seminar on "Role of media as human rights educators" was

organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation on Thursday in connection
with Human Rights Day being observed on Dec 10, dedicated by office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNESCO to human rights
education.

PPF General-Secretary Owais Aslam Ali, in his address, deplored that

media highlighted human rights violations in the country but failed in
playing due role in opinion building and educating the masses.

Media exposed military generals, bureaucrats, corrupt politicians and

their feudal approach, but, it failed to focus on urban elite that was
abusing the country's resources, he added.

He opined that media should show the real face of urban elite as it did in
the case of feudal lords in order to introduce a new culture and change in
society. Ghazi Sallahuddin, Council Member Human Rights Commission
of Pakistan, said: "It is high time to see our society with a critical eye.
 We always portray discouraging scenario of the society instead of
thinking about the ground realities and what role is being played by civil
society, government and the media," he said.

According to him, Pakistan is sixth largest country in the world with

respect to population and the 7th nuclear power with a strong army, but
the UNDP indicators about human development show that Pakistan is at
140th level in the world in human development.

Analysing current scenario of Pakistani print media, Mr Sallahuddin said

that the combined circulation of all newspapers being published in
English, Urdu and Sindhi in Pakistan was not more than circulation of
Indian newspapers in a single city.

"Circulation of newspapers is not satisfactory while book reading and

education level is also alarmingly low. Unless universities provide us
quality products, the situation will not change," he added.

He maintained that universities should promote education in real sense

and if higher educational institutions would not bring forth talented and
educated people, who would bring definite changes.

In this gloomy situation, he said that a few people were struggling to

change present situation in the media and they must be appreciated. He
said that some people had reservations on the role of non-governmental
organizations, but, in his opinion NGOs were playing their due role for
betterment of civil society.

He said media could not attract talent as much as multinational

companies were attracting towards them, as media was commercially
motivated. In this situation, salary structure was also shocking and one
of the reasons for its decline.

Ghazi Sallahuddin said that local media institutions lacked credibility and
to improve their credibility, they should focus on genuine issues.
However, he said that electronic media had played positive role to some
extent in highlighting the real issues and educating the society.

Rumana Husain of the Human Rights Education Programme, in her

presentation, briefed the participants about the working of her
organization that had involved schoolchildren in social activities.

She said that instead of expecting more in the first step, media should
try to educate people for social change. Fazal Qureshi also spoke at the
seminar, which was attended among others by NGO representatives,
human rights activists and journalists.

Media Role in Pakistan

By Tariq Mehmood Khan

Is Pakistani Media is playing its positive role in strengthening a democratic

institutions in Pakistan? It is true that media in Pakistan has got freedom in recent
years. Thanks to Musharraf that he gave an important place to media. Although, he
had also curb the media yet it goes to his credit that during his regime many Private
channels were opened and they got so much popularity among the masses that all
restrictions and ban on media were failed to prove any positive result for the
government. Every Government has tried their level best to curb media but now it is
out of control and now Media is in a good position to defend itself. The success of
Long March to restore the Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was also made possible due
to media role. Although Media was banned to gavel coverage to judiciary yet for the
sake of their business and mass interest forced them to give it media coverage. The
Restoration of judiciary was the Hall Mark for media in Particular and people in
General.

In the eye of WAR on TERROR media has also played an effective role to make a
public opinion against the style of War on Terror which has caused a great loss of
Pakistan in men and material. President Asif Ali Zardari himself said that Pakistan
suffered a loss of more than 300 million losses in this war. No other county has
suffered so much as PAKISTAN and no other country can sacrifice as much as
Pakistan. It shows Pakistan seriousness to Defeat Terrorist. There is a strong public
opinion against Drone attacks in Pakistan, which is again thanks to Media that it has
created awareness to the people to express their opinion to save their sovereignty.
American Senators visit to Pakistan was not a good news for Pakistani. In a press
conference John McCain said that Drone attacks is their legitimate weapon to Defeat
Terrorism.

Re: The Role Of Media

I have always maintained that Pakistani media especially Urdu press is full of
extreme right wing supporters. They spin the news to suit their nefarious purpose of
creating support for Taliban in the minds of the naïve Pakistani public.

I can cite countless examples of this distortion of news. Let us start with Lal Masjid. I
have myself heard Hamid Mir goading Musharraf on Capital Talk as to why writ of
government was not being established in the capital. Lo and behold, no sooner did
the Lal Masjid Operation start, 180 degrees turn. All Lal Masjid thugs became heroes
of Islam with GOP & Pak Commandos portrayed as forces of evil. IMO the spate of
suicide bombings after Lal Masjid affair was directly to highly biased reporting by the
bigot Hamed Mir and Pak Dustman TV and they are indirectly responsible blood
shedding of scores of innocent victims.

Reporting on Marriott bombing, Ansar Abbassi tried to create doubts as to where the
explosion occurred . He kept on about some mysterious blue light and US Marine
staying on the 4th floor. No mention of the poor hundred or so dead and the big
crater in the front of the hotel. It was a hotel for Gods’ sake! Where do you expect
US Marine visiting Pakistan to stay? It has now come to light that it was conducted
by Lashkar Jhangvi, however, at that time the bigot Ansar Abbasi managed to dilute
the blame from Taliban anyway.

The confusion Hamid Mir tried to create by saying that Ajmal Kassab was caught in
Nepal six months ago was without any basis whatsoever.

Look at the number of times Gen Hamid Gul and Imran Khan or on Geo TV. Only
because these two people, despite the fact that neither has any mandate from the
people, are pro Islamic terrorists.

Most parties support the Swat Operation as GOP was left with no choice. However
Pakistan Dushman TV (Geo TV) manages to dig out people who are against it, such
as Imran Khan and Khwaja Saad Rafiq of PML-N and lets them have a field day on
Hamid Mir program. Even last night I saw a Mullah from JUI who claimed that the
whole Operation was pre-planned and the deal was done deliberately so show Taliban
in a bad light and the blame lies with the government.

Media is the most powerful tool of propaganda; realized as early as 1930’ by Himmler
of Nazi Germany. Do you really think that all Germans during Hitler time supported
the heinous crimes committed by the SS on the orders of Himmler? Certainly not, but
Nazi propaganda machinery created an empathy with the Nazi cause they kept silent.

I am all for free speech but there are always certain limits especially when it comes
to survival of the state. Pak Dushman media such as GEO TV is playing the same role
but not for the Pakistan State but for the Taliban.

What other proof is needed when Sufi Mohammad openly declaring that he does not
accept Pakistan Constitution and democracy is ‘Kufr. Is this not “Treason”? No not
good enough for Pak Dushman TV, they must give free TV time to supporters of Sufi
Mohammad.

In other countries, political parties have to spend lot money to get across their views.
In Pakistan terrorists and traitors are provided it free of cost by Pak Dushman TV and
media terrorists. All this despite the fact that Taliban in Swat had warned the media
personnel that they risk their lives if the report anything against Taliban.

Another example is the military operation against Akbar Bugti. Only Irshad Haqqani
has pointed out that Akbar Bugti died in explosion of a rocket from his own arsenal.
It is international law that any civilian who picks up a gun to fight the State is no
longer a civilian but an enemy of the State! Didn't he actually fight PA with guns?

Not Pak Dushmnn TV. I have heard Hamid Mir referring to him as Akbar Bugti
Shaheed? Good God man! Would not this encourage scores of naïve Baluch youth to
pick up a gun and embrace Sahadat fighting PA.?

On the other hand, not a word in praise of the PA jawans who are sacrificing their
lives so that Pak Dushman TV can operate. Allah save Pakistan from the bigotry that
most of Urdu columnist in Jang and on Geo TV are allowing to be propagated in the
name of freedom of the press!
The Role Of Media
yar i am in express news. and in electronic media since past 2 years. My observation
so far is that
1. Un qualified people are sitting at high posts, who dont know any thing about
stratgy, IR and effect of media on public. these people dont know the importance of
propoganda and info warfare
2. I was in Dunya TV when the most impressive Directer News Amir Ghori was
sacked. He is one professional great man. I have yet to see a great patriotic man
who opted media and Left Civil services for journalism. He was sacked because he
had guts to say No to wrongs and was not indulgeing in channels politics. I saw some
of the Pakistans worst losers who are in high places due to black mailing and politics
3. Media in pakistan is mostly controlled by busniss men and politicans who use it to
promote their own propoganda and intrests. So far only express, dawn and samaa
are following standerds rest all are following ideology of intrest. Take example of GEO
, it has intrests in India , and you can see how it promotes indian culture without
realizing that its anti thesis of our own culture and ideology.

4. In race for breaking news channels dont bother to confirm reports.

5. Pakistani media is in its initial stages. many channels which initially came are now
either bankrupt or losing viewer ship.

6. Media people want to earn the place in good books of owners and hence forget for
what their profession stands for.

7. Most channels Pay very less and that too after months to their workers , and thats
why their workers dont work with full intrest.

So FAR ONLY EXPRESS NEWS, EXPRESS 24/7 and DAWN News and SAMA can be
Said to be following the national intrests

I was a big fan of Musharraf, till he broke his nationally televised promise of
donning his uniform (17th amendment), which lead to a bloody new era for our
country. Many people credit him with the explosion of media channels and rightly
so. But IMO, like so many other steps he took, this was also short sighted and
without keeping in mind the long-term repercussions by allowing dozens of news
channels to setup the channel and start broadcasting bullshit without thinking that
how would they be held accountable. PEMRA was of no use.

This is no secret that our media channels, barring few like DAWN, are a joke and
an embarrassment for the nation. Just look at journos during the press
conferences. They hold absolutely no regard for one speaker at one time rule,
would often ask stupid questions, meaning they are not ‘professionals’.

Benefit of doubt here should be given, especially keeping in mind that this industry
is still relatively new and hopefully would improve. But when these media ppl
exploit their position and start broadcasting lies, blackmail by putting on unethical
media, ending their every news headline with a sight of some Indian starts dancing
then one starts thinking that they are rather a pain in the a$$ and a farce.

On top of all there is no accountability of these channels that are maligning

individuals and entities. One wrong strip destroys the image of someone, but the
clarification never appears. They are no less than blackmailers, and commercial
organizations, whose sole purpose is to earn money and nothing more.

I remember when we only used to have PTV channel, the jung newspaper would
often criticize and humiliate PTV for showing excessive advertisement during most
watched programs and sports matches in their newspapers. Now they have their
own channels and the amount of pathetic advertisement they show speaks about
their hypocrisy. The news and jang would even sell their masks for a certain
amount of money. DAWN is an n exception here, who strictly follows a policy.

Sorry for drifting from the topic, I think we should make a sticky thread where the
bloopers of these channels should be discussed. There should be someone who
would hold their necks for calling terrorists as ‘sahab”, baitullah sb, fazullah sb.