Role of Media in Pakistan: Merits, Demerits, and Suggestion

OUTLINE:

Teaser:

Media and its role in a nation’s progress have become indispensable for a country's economic
prosperity and political stability in the contemporary world. Although media has become a major
concern for Pakistan’s democracy, political stability, and progress, yet the critical analysis of free
media on governmental policies leads the nation towards sustainable progress.

Current Situation

1. Merits

 Pointing out government policies

 Highlighting social evils

 Connecting the world

 Promoting norms of democracy

2. Demerits

 Spreading unverified news and data

 Compromising on secrets of state

 Having biasness

 Exploiting poor

3. Suggestion to improve the role of media

 Media must abide by PEMRA rules

 Media never compromise on secrets of state

 Media must focus on authenticity of news

 Media must be impartial

 Media must be realistic

4. Critical analysis
 5. Conclusion

Introduction:
Media, the most powerful entity on earth, and its role in a nation’s progress have become
indispensable for a country's economic prosperity and political stability in the contemporary
world. The critical analysis of free media on governmental policies leads nations towards
sustainable progress. As a matter of fact, media has revolutionized the world and has transformed
it into a global village. Moreover, it lays the foundations on which social norms and modern
cultures are built, making it the fourth pillar of the state. As the fourth pillar of a state, media
ensures the authentic flow of information to the masses and guards them against its
authoritarianism. In an increasingly globalized world, the media integrates people, reflects
divergent cultures, and educates people about their basic rights. Many social evils can be
detected and eradicated with the help of light shed by media as it can raise awareness in the
masses quicker than any other medium. Unfortunately, Pakistani media has become highly
biased. As a result, it is massively involved in disseminating sensationalism and misinformation.
Moreover, it desensitizes public emotions and promotes an environment of uncertainty. The
polarized politics, vested interests of the media tycoons, and the rush for rating are the few
culprits. It is the need of the hour to single out the factors that are causing the media to behave
biasedly. If the concern remains unchecked, the repercussions can be catastrophic.

Current situation:
Currently, media or press freedom in Pakistan is declining continuously. Media is playing
impartial and impractical role in Pakistan. Moreover, it is biased and intrudes in the personal life
of the masses. According to the report of press freedom index 2020, Pakistan has ranked 145 out
of 180countries based on freedom of the press.

Merits:
Merits of media in Pakistan are following:

The major positive role of media is that the media in Pakistan informs people about government
policies. Additionally, it not only explains the beneficial policies, but also points out those
policies, which are not in favor of masses. In this way, people can easily decide, whether a policy
is beneficial for them or not.

Similarly, the media highlights the social evils in the country, such as poverty, robbery,
nepotism, and feudalism, and exposes public and private sector corruption. As a result, people
are able to know the multiple causes and consequences of the pervasive social evils in society.

Likewise, media promotes democratic norms in the country. Formerly, there was no freedom of
speech and expression in dictatorial regimes, and it was very easy for dictator to impose martial
law. At present, media makes it difficult to derail democracy in Pakistan; meanwhile, it also
plays an important role in maintaining civil-military balance in the country.

Last but not least, the twenty first century is the age of knowledge, and the media is one of the
major sources of information in the contemporary world that keeps people aware of all current
happenings and advancements.

Demerits:
Demerits of media in Pakistan are following:

First, Pakistani media is spreading non- research based data and un-verified news. Not even a
single channel tries to check the correctness of news before reporting it. Moreover, media lacks
rationality. Due to the irrational behavior of media, chaos and anarchy escalates day by day in
Pakistani society.

Second, media in Pakistan is unaware of the certain code of ethics related to journalism, and
discloses secrets of state. There is no proper procedure to execute news related to the state’s
sensitive matters; therefore, in some cases, a channel discusses a policy publicly before an
official announcement of it. In this way, the state bears an irreparable loss, sometimes.

Third, media is biased in Pakistan and not playing the impartial role. Many channels are under
the influence of politicians, businessmen, and government officials. Most of the channels are just
working for the sake of rating, and there in no concept of authenticity of news. Additionally,
many channels blindly support the government, and some of them not even admit any good deed
of the government.

Last, the media gives a constant mental dither to the poor by advertising costly and branded
products, clothes, and households, which poor people cannot afford to buy. Similarly, media
depicts elite lifestyle in different commercials that gives rise to frustration, and creates problems
for the people.

Suggestions:

Keeping in view all the above antecedents for the widening social media demerits in Pakistan,
the following suggestions, if implemented rigorously, can bring the country out of the pervasive
demerits of the social media.

1- Pakistani media must abide by the rules and regulations that suggests by the Pakistan
Electronic Media Regulatory Authority because these rules are necessary to regulate ethics
and a certain code of journalism in sharing information and broadcasting news.
2- It is the responsibility of Pakistani media that it must protect the secrets of the state, and do
not reveal them before time. Additionally, government should stop newspapers and T. V
channels which are involved in displaying anti-state data or information.
3- It is the need of the hour; Pakistani media must focus on the correctness, authenticity, and
objectivity of the news. Moreover, government must keep an eye on such channels which
compromise on the authenticity of news, and spread chaos and anarchy in society through
fake news.
4- Pakistani media must be patriotic, impartial, and free from the propaganda mechanism
because the impartial role of media is necessary for socio-economic development. Currently,
the country demands neutral media anchors that can critically analyses the facts and figures,
and report them in a perfect way.
5- Media should highlights the trouble spots in the society, and press the government and public
to devise proper mechanism to wipeout these troubles because it is the responsibility of
media to keeps the public informed about the national and international political and other
human realities taking place in everyday life.

Critical analysis
Undoubtedly, today, nothing helps the country of its socio-economic future and political stability
like the way positive role of media does. It can be detected and eradicated social evils, and raise
awareness in the masses quicker than any other medium. As a matter of fact that pros and cons of
Media go hand in hand in the absence of proper media policies; however, if government takes
proper steps to curtail negative role of media, Pakistan can easily avoid the daunting challenges
of media.

Conclusion
In conclusion, media has revolutionized the world, and it has become a strong and quick tool to
connect people and transfer information and data from one place to another. Thus, media and its
role in a nation’s progress have become indispensable for a country's economic prosperity and
political stability, but in case of Pakistani media, the media is at learning stage, and required a lot
of improvement which can only possible by the positive efforts and insightful initiatives of
media owners, and governments.

CORRECTIONS
Although media has become a major concern for Pakistan’s democracy, political stability, and
progress, yet the critical analysis of free media on governmental policies leads the nation towards
sustainable progress. we use ‘’although/though’’ in pair with ‘’yet’’.

It is better to use the infinitive phrases in suggestions (outline).