Running head: Policy Paper 1

Suggestion to Incorporate Media Education in SNC

Komal Salman and Zoha Mazhar

BS Mass Communication 2K18

National University of Sciences and Technology

Instructor

Ma’am Tashin Fatima

Media Industries
Policy Paper 2

The current state of media in the world we live in today is such that the media is half

our world, if not all of it: our communication, information, politics, public opinion,

policy-making, entertainment, all depends on it. The concept of media literacy, a practice that

encompasses how people access, evaluate, and manipulate media, goes relatively a long way

back in the developed world, but most Asian and African nations are still figuring it out. With the

media's influence increasing day by day, basic digital and media literacy must be made a part of

the Single National Curriculum. Besides this, we cannot have the Digital Pakistan we dream of

and are trying to create unless we have a generation well versed in conventional and digital

media alike. Thus, in good faith, we present this comprehensive proposal, which deals with the

what, how, and why of media education being incorporated into school syllabi countrywide.

Understanding media’s importance and influence:

Media by definition is the outlet of communication that is used to gather and deliver

information and data. It includes the components of the mass media industry such as print media,

news media broadcasting, photography, cinema, digital media, and advertising.

Media has always played an important role in the lives of the public as it keeps the masses

educated and aware of what is going on in the world and the surroundings, it helps in providing

the true picture and various perspectives of the story that is being covered as well as live

telecasting of various events to provide first-hand footage to the people that do not have access.

McQuail in his work titled “The influence and effects of mass media, mass communication, and

society’ stated how mass media has undeniable power in society and to predict the extent of it is

near to impossible since the use of mass media by every individual varies and cannot be

measured collectively. He also stated that there are certain objectives that only mass media could
Policy Paper 3

achieve and the fact that the media holds immense influence when it comes to shaping the angle

and perspective of the situation and audience respectively.

Therefore, it can be said without a doubt that the media holds power in whatever information it

gathers and sets out for the public to view and understand. We are made aware of many things

due to the information provided to us by the media because, without it, the people who would not

have access to the story or situation firsthand might not understand or cannot grasp the

knowledge regarding the matter fully. So to bridge that very gap, media becomes an integral part

of every individual’s life and offers its duties to deliver news and updates that keep the masses

abreast of what is taking place around the world.

Ethics of Journalism:

The course can start with the guide on journalism, and the ethics of journalism set out

by the United Nations Committee to Protect Journalists or the Society of Professional Journalists.

A few important points to be stressed upon given the state of media affairs in Pakistan are

responsible for the accuracy, clear identification of sources, speed not being an excuse for

incorrect information, updating developing stories diligently, providing proper context to any and

every story reported, objectively consider potential motives of sources and doing background

checks on their affiliations before promising anonymity.

The potential implications of anonymity being granted carelessly, not exercising enough caution

while making a promise, breaking a promise, and not reserving anonymity in cases where the

source may face retribution, physical harm, or for information which may not be legally obtained

elsewhere, and no valid explanations for keeping sources anonymous also need to be taught

properly.
Policy Paper 4

Furthermore, with the rise of citizen journalism and social media, everyone needs to learn how to

respond properly to criticism and alleged wrong-doing, learn to identify, seek and call out

inaccurate news coverage, and support the open and civil exchange of views, regardless of

personal opinion. Avoiding stereotyping, labeling advocacy and commentary, not engaging in

plagiarism, slander, and libel, along with the possible consequences of failing to do so is also a

subject the future generation needs to be educated in.

Moreover, compassion for those affected by news coverage, juveniles, the aggrieved, victims of

a sex crime, or those not socially equipped enough to give consent to being on TV, as they may

or may not realize the possible string of events that may follow, is also necessary. Anyone and

everyone need to understand this in an age where everything can go viral. Besides this, stressing

on not using under-the-table methods of obtaining information, as well as the difference between

legal access to information and permission to broadcast or publish it, along with the

repercussions of not realizing the fine line between the people’s right to information and

potential discomfort and harm is becoming and will continue to become increasingly important

in the years to follow, as with modern digital platforms, anyone can become a reporter.

Lastly, accountability, transparency, any possible actions which may harm credibility, real or

perceived conflicts of interest, gifts, bribes, explaining choices to the audience, exposing

unethical conduct, acknowledging mistakes, and owning them, providing prompt corrections and

clarifications are all part of any sort of journalism as of today. Children need to know this so the

next generation of Pakistani’s no longer falls for the words of paid touts, eliminates the menace

of social media trolling, and no longer tolerates being fooled by prominent personalities

disrespecting this profession.

Policy Paper 5

It can progress to teach them why checking sources and finding out hidden affiliations, being

aware of influences and bias, is important. The rise of media, and the phenomenon of

Mediatization is extremely important for all citizens to understand, so they can make more

educated decisions about how to react to the barrage of content being directed at the left, right

and center is important.

While it is common knowledge that the functions of media are to inform, and educate the

masses, serve as a watchdog for the powerful, provide a platform for civil discourse, advocate for

causes and changes in policy making, as well as publicize the viewpoints, agendas, and opinions

of various political parties and activists, only a handful are aware of how the dissemination of

information works. If we look at the numbers, global social media penetration stands at 51%, and

nine out of ten people cannot differentiate between authentic and fake news. Mediatization was

the systematic process of Mediatization.

Mediatization:

Mediatization is primarily a theory that argues over the fact that media shapes and

frames the processes and the discourse regarding political communication as well as the society

in which that particular communication takes place. This very process of Mediatization has four

systematic phases.

The first phase of Mediatization occurs when the mass media is the most important source of

information and channel of communication between the governed and political governors. These

include political institutions and actors such as political parties, governmental agencies, and

political interest groups. During this phase, the media independence is extremely low so political

communicators have more control of what the media should be conveying to the masses.
Policy Paper 6

The second phase takes place when the media starts to become more independent from these

governmental or other political bodies. These particular political bodies are now being governed

according to media logic rather than political logic, meaning that media is not being influenced

by politics (to a certain extent). In this phase, the media does not mediate the messages preferred

by different sources. Due to this, there is a noticeable increase in journalistic professionalization,

there is a more practical approach towards politics, and an increase in commercialization. Since

the media is semi-independent in this phase, political actors and institutions cannot misuse the

information being provided for their benefit and interest.

The third phase begins when the media continues to be the dominant source of information and

channel of communication between the citizens and institutions, making it a vital part of the

policy-making process, this phase is about how the media is still governed by media logic

however, the debate between media logic against political logic continues at large.

The last and fourth phase of the Mediatization process occurs when the political and other social

actors not only begin to understand the media logic but also adapt that very logic and the

predominantly news values associated with it but also begin to internalize them which in return

makes this a pivotal part in the governing process. The development of permanent campaigning,

as well as the concept of going public (which can be an essential strategy for governing), also

started to prevail during this very phase. This is primarily due to the fact that the media is

extremely dominant and free of influence from political narratives from political bodies and

actors, the people residing in power now are more aware of their actions and verbal conduct. In

simpler words, in this phase, the people in power in the political sphere are more affected and

vulnerable than ever.

Policy Paper 7

Furthermore if one were to look at how the media has taken over the process of communicating

and conveying information, one can observe that the media has somewhat taken the title and duty

of a watchdog, therefore there is a high possibility for this very media to become a cause for

confusion or a way to create and spread fake news or ensue the concept of anarchy. Taking

account of examples such as various warzones where the media portrays one side to be the

perpetrator and the other a victim, the aforementioned notion becomes clearer. Regarding the

topic of fake news, if one takes into account the recent pandemic crisis, it is noticeable how

many times there has been fake news circulating the screens of the public and making them

believe in whatever they see and hear.

Then there is also the question of whether the media needs to be dictated or not because if there

are cases where there is the interference of political bodies and actors or certain matters that

require gatekeeping then should the media be told what to put out to the audiences consuming

that very content? Instances where the tension between India and Pakistan had been so strained

and severe that media coverage was not permissible on the border that the two countries shared.

Similarly, if there are circumstances involving matters of national security or national integrity is

questioned or whether there is a case of blasphemy, often one can observe that the media

supposedly conveyed dictated information to the public.

Due to such examples that have taken place, it is quite common for the public to be wary of the

media and what messages it puts out as well. In today’s age and time, where citizen journalism is

extremely high, people find it more convenient to collect and gather information themselves

rather than solely rely on what the media conveys. The Arab Spring Fiasco was one such

example where there were a series of anti-government protests and rebellions in the Arab world

during the early 2010 era. People distrusted the media to the extent that they took matters into
Policy Paper 8

their own hands. Similarly, during the last governmental rule of Pakistan Muslim League- N

(PML-N), there was always mixed news that highlighted the positives and negatives of the

political party in power and that made the public distrust the media to the point where they came

onto the streets which made the famous Dharna take place and make political history.

Self-censorship has also been associated with the media one too many times and one can truly

state that it is practiced and is very much existent but, if the conversation regarding

self-censorship takes place in Pakistan it becomes more of a contradictory topic. Political actors

will ensue the notion that there is no freedom of speech and expression and they are forced to

restrain themselves from stating the brutal truth and practice self-censorship. However, these

very political actors are able to freely talk about anything and everything with no filter

whatsoever. So then people begin to question the truth behind the matter of self-censorship: is it

just a way to criticize the government that is residing in power at the moment and is a way to

blatantly point fingers at their every move disregarding the facts of the situation and establish

that the reality is hidden or is it just an exaggerated ruse in order to gain sympathy from the

masses?

Professional ethics in audiovisual media:

Professional ethics in the media refer to how there should be universal respect in

regards to life and the rule of law and legality. Ethics in media define and deal with the concept

of ethical questions pertaining to how the media should use texts and pictures that are provided

by the citizens. Every country has its ethical laws and limits. When talking about professional

ethics in audiovisual media, it clearly implies how the concept of ethics should be reinforced in

the media content that is being verbally and visually being consumed.
Policy Paper 9

There are many examples of countries adhering to their ethical laws when it comes to

showcasing media content. Countries such as Saudi Arabia have banned women from being

televised and broadcasted on television and any other digital screen. Similarly, Iran has the law

of women having to cover their heads if they are to be presented in front of the camera. Such

ethical laws are suggested and implied because that is how the country would prefer the media to

produce and showcase content for the masses. In Europe, tobacco ads are banned to be televised

as well as advertising to children under the age of twelve is considered illegal and is also banned.

There are certain topics that are considered taboo and hence are shown on screens for certain

countries. An example of this would be how advertisements regarding alcoholic beverages and

alcohol consumption are banned in countries like the Middle East and Pakistan.

Speaking of Pakistan, according to Aslam and Ali in their writing titled ‘Media Matters in

Pakistan, Middle East Report’ it is stated and outlined how during the Zia regime, the country

had to follow certain laws when it came to producing and delivering media content to the

audiences. Women had to cover their heads with a headscarf, shirts should not be too short and

neither should be barren sleeves of women when they were on camera. This was because during

that time the concept of Islamization was on the rise and the ruler wanted everything to be abided

by the Shariah Law of Islam hence these were deemed as certain ethical rules and regulations

that had to be followed in the country.

On the other hand, during the month of Ramadan, Egyptians criticized their media content, in

particular, the television soaps that became too westernized in the public’s view. Since during the

months of Ramadan, the consumption of media content increases immensely, content that is

produced and televised simultaneously increases as well and as ethics, to each, every country are

subjective keeping their morals and cultures, the Egyptians sent a lot of backlash towards the
Policy Paper 10

production of such shows that showed a different lifestyle and story to the normal Egyptian

individual.

Cultural and religious sensitivity:

In terms of cultural and religious sensitivity, there are two aspects that need attention:

culture and religion. Being aware of the differences between each aspect and accepting the fact

that there are many cultures and religions around the globe that need equal amounts of respect

despite having apparent differences with one’s culture and religion is cultural and religious

sensitivity.

It is highly important to take into account the fact that everyone shares a different perspective.

Not every individual is on the same wavelength when a certain topic is discussed and when it

comes to culture and religion there should not be any exception as well. The act of being

indifferent to the atrocities of another religious or cultural minority speaks volumes of privilege

and should not be carried out as second nature. Rather, if not all, there should be strict

implications of how if not all but many cultures and religions are touched upon, are talking

about, and are taught in detail not only to just enhance the knowledge of an individual but also

make the individual aware of the various cultural and religious backgrounds another person

might be associated with.

In the research paper titled ‘New media environments’ comparative effects upon intercultural

sensitivity: A five-dimensional analysis’ authors Coffey, Kamhawi, Fishwick and Henderson

delve into research regarding how virtual and the web environment can have an impact on an

individual’s intercultural relationships. It reiterates the fact that in terms of cultures if a person is

not made aware of their cultural surroundings that also include the cultural knowledge and
Policy Paper 11

background with the people that said person interacts and associates with, there can be a massive

change in personality and interaction.

In today’s day and age, where the media can be observed in an attempt to showcase many diverse

cultures and aspects of various religions in their content, it has become imperative that one

should be aware of them as well. Not only does this add up to a fruitful conversation due to the

opportunity of exposure but it also allows the audience to understand the various perspectives

and the importance of how not every individual is from the cultural and religious background

and what are their stances on certain topics and issues that also affect them.

Free speech and the media:

Let us move on to a very important aspect of media: freedom of speech and

expression. Pakistan’s past has not been all roses and rainbows when it comes to free media and

the protection of journalists. However, the upcoming generation needs to understand how the

current media landscape of Pakistan is functioning.

Pakistani media is the only country with “free media” where no private media corporation is

listed on the stock exchange and is being run as a family business, a monopoly. Moreover,

yellow journalism under the garb of activism is something children can be made aware of.

Besides this, drawing up a comparative analysis of the media landscape in neighboring Iran,

Afghanistan, China, and India, and further away, the Central Asian Republics, Russia, the

Middle East, and North Africa would actually make children understand what truly authoritarian

and truly controlled media is. Dossiers on disinformation will do less to debunk the narrative of

vilifying the Pakistani deep state for its control on media to “hide atrocities” than debate will do.

Students need to learn how arguments are built, and how public opinion is shifted to being
Policy Paper 12

favorable. Media framing, agenda-setting, and innocence framing need to be a part of a detailed

study on a real-life-example-based course.

Busting the myth of “free media” by explaining agenda setting, while acknowledging that

conditions for journalists are better in some countries than others is also important. A

comparative analysis of different government systems, like democracies, plutocracies,

monarchies, religious regimes, dictatorships, and communist republics, and how the state is

overtly or covertly controlling the media to some extent or the other is essential for the sole

reason that we live in an age where warfare is based on intangible threats of information

onslaughts and data. Comprehending these threats requires an understanding of underlying

systems. A generation well-versed in propaganda techniques will be the generation who will not

fall for it. It will be a generation that will understand narrative-building, and realize that

information has the power to entirely drown the opposing party in a quagmire of invisibility and

negative stereotyping. Feeding hyper-nationalism or jingo-religious nationalism is not the cure

for information warfare, an educated, aware, and literate population is: these children will not

only perceive the gravity of the threat of 5th and 6th generation warfare, but they will also find

ways and innovate existing techniques according to the needs of their time, to not only counter

existing negative narratives about Pakistan being churned out by enemy states, but they will also

further the interests of Pakistan by creating the kind of content people may not want, but the

country needs if it is to build its story properly.

A few noteworthy examples which can be explained in detail is how both, to explain how state

and private media, where applicable, in context of explicit bans on news coverage, or sublime

agenda setting and pushing out content which is the audiovisual equivalent for the

fiction-nonfiction binary in literature, true stories put down in strong prose, works in:
Policy Paper 13

1. Communist ideology-governed nation-states like the DPRK, Russia, China, and Sri

Lanka,

E.g. ANO-TV Novosti, CTGN, Ceylon Today

A Pakistani politician, Mian Javed Latif, from PLMN, gave a statement on live TV that “We will

not chant Pakistan Khappay (Long live Pakistan) if something happens to Maryam Nawaz”, the

daughter of the party leader Nawaz Sharif. The media was allowed to broadcast this.

Had it been Moscow, Pyongyang, Beijing, or Colombo, the President’s word would have been

written in stone. State policy would have never been questioned. A statement like this from

anyone would have never been allowed to be broadcasted, and the politician in question would

have been charged with treason.

Whether Javed’s statement was treasonous or not, is a separate debate, but the fact of the matter

is that it was not treated as such by either the media or by the state.

2. Religious ideology governed states like Iran, India, and Israel,

E.g. Israel Hayom, Khabar TV, NDTV, Indian Tribune

How many times has news of Russian atrocities, Assad’s prisons, or Iran’s support for the Shi’ite

Syrian leader made news on national television in Iran? How many times has Israel Hayoum

condemned the carpet bombing or siege of Gaza, or forced evictions? How often does NDTV or

the Indian Tribune talk of Indian atrocities against Kashmiri Muslims, or mob lynching, or

forced conversions?

The answer is, never. But do we see outrage on the siege and bombings of Yemen, by the

Saudi-led coalition on Khabar TV, and uproar against alleged anti-Semitism on Israel Hayoum,

and news of forced conversions and state oppression in Pakistan and the treatment China is has
Policy Paper 14

meted out to its Uighur population, of which the only evidence is traceable to the CIA? All the

time.

That is how it works, and that is something children need to understand so they may be aware of

bias, influences and affiliations, and how they affect attempts to shape public opinion.

3. Monarchies like the GCC,

E.g. Jordanian News Network, Al-Khaleej, KTV, Al-Jazeera

The news dispensed to the public is entirely controlled, political parties and public political

engagement is banned by law. An Emirati citizen, academic, and activist Nasser bin Ghaith, is

just an example of a trial held critical online comments, and following claims of harassment and

torture by the authorities, who has been detained incommunicado, in solitary confinement since

his arrest in 2015. Not even the royals are safe, Princess Latifa of the UAE was caught escaping

the country, and held under house arrest, with no “proof of life” being granted by the royal

household. Kuwait, which ranks on top in press freedom in the Gulf, has previously detained

bloggers for tweets and sent local journalists to hard labor.

4. dictatorships in the MENA countries, South East, East, and Central Asia, and Latin

America,

E.g. Al-Ahram, LNTV, Venevision, Kazakhstanskaya Pravda

In Kazakhstan, state-run TV channels broadcast in English, Kazakh as well as Russian. Other TV

channels which broadcast via satellite are also subject to direct state control, with some leading

private media being run by corporations in which the government owns the majority of shares.

(Astana, by Eurovision) Private media channels are subject to both, claims of being funded by

the opposition, and subject to extreme censorship. In 2016, the Egyptian government set a record

of holding twenty-seven journalists in incarceration. Lao National Television is controlled

Policy Paper 15

entirely by the government of Laos, and the country ranked below Iran and Cuba in terms of

press freedom.

5. Various governments which are in-fact plutocracies like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and

Afghanistan,

E.g. Tolo News, GEO TV, ARY

Geo TV and ARY news have a history of aligning themselves, either with the government or

against it. In 1998, Nawaz Sharif cracked down intensely on the Jang Group of Newspapers.

Journalists for both, Urdu and English newspapers reported harassment by the state and receiving

anonymous threats. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, the owner, was ordered to dismiss or demote more

than a dozen senior journalists whose names appeared on a government-compiled blacklist.

Later, the same media house got into trouble with Musharraf, with Geo TV being barred from the

broadcast. Today, GEO broadcasts news heavily biased in favor of Nawaz Sharif, and known

journalists from GEO, like Hamid Mir, calling anti-state elements, like Mama Qadeer to his

show. Tolo News is the only private channel operating in Afghanistan and is known to be a

government mouthpiece. Today, a statement from an anonymous official was published about the

Taliban moving military equipment to Pakistan. Recently, a documentary made in Delhi, Daesh

Dar Afghanistan, a failed attempt to tie in ISIS-K to Pakistan was also aired.

6. Media groups associated with banned outfits, or militias

E.g. Amaq News Agency, As Sahab Media, Zrumbesh Media Corporation, Balochistan Post,

Almasirah, MED TV, Nueva Colombia Noticias

Amaq News Agency is the official media channel for the Islamic State, while As Sahab media is

the disseminator of news for Al-Qaeda. Zrumbesh and Balochistan Post claim to broadcast from

“Occupied Balochistan”, with known ties to communist militant groups operating in the
Policy Paper 16

province. Almasirah, a media outlet headquartered in Beirut, was founded by the Houthis. Nueva

Colombia Noticias is run and funded by the FARC rebels.

7. And democracies like the USA, the Nordic, and some other Western European

countries.

Bloomberg, the New York Times, BBC, TV 2, DW

While these countries rank on top in terms of press freedom, these channels have come under fire

multiple times for anti-Muslim, and anti-immigrant sentiment. Moreover, they often report

excessive news which may demonize perceived enemies, even if it is inaccurate, like when DW

published an article implying that Karima Baloch, a Pakistani dissident living in Canada, was

killed by the Pakistani state, whereas Toronto Police confirmed “no foul play.”

Recognizing and Questioning Bias

Activities to help children recognize the right-left political spectrum in the world, how

it manifests itself in post-colonial nations, and why it is still a disaster in Pakistan, with the

right-wing being religious clerics and associated armed groups, and the left-wing being

ethno-nationalists, communists, and associated armed groups. Explaining polarization, with

cause and effect examples, for instance, on the rise of religious extremism, and the rise of

separatism is key to help students understand the brutal ground realities of Pakistani society,

rather than falling for disinformation, and digital propaganda fed to them. This will, in the long

run, help mold the next generation into a strong frame of grounded sensibilities, unity, and prove

extremely important to surviving existing and potential information onslaughts by enemy states.

Some questions have no black and white answers. However, it is only by initiating discourse at

the grassroots level that we will be in a place where the media can be trusted by the public.
Policy Paper 17

While the protection of the press is a real issue, the responsibilities of the press and the

exploitation of the issue often get forgotten amid social media outrage.

Selective freedom is a problem. Pakistan has to be the only media where journalists don’t even

make an effort to hide their illicit practices. Freedom of speech comes with responsibility, which

is something paid touts to refuse to acknowledge. The ethics of journalism and the responsibility

of being a member of the press need to be taught. The same journalists who supported Asad

Toor, a blatant mouthpiece for one major political party in Pakistan, on his alleged beating by

“people who identified themselves as intelligence agents”; said nothing when Saad Memon was

murdered after his unflattering reporting of party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s ‘train

march’ in 2019. We saw cases of Sarmad Sultan and Matiullah Jan also, with known affiliations

to the communist left, who allegedly went missing, but reappeared in under a day, or laid claim

to becoming a target of ISI’s “Home Phainti Service ''.

Children need to learn how to ask questions. The culture of questioning would naturally lead

them to think, “Wait a minute, which idiot agency agent identifies themselves? Why is there a

pattern, and why is the state of media in the country so rotten that any Tom, Dick, and Harry can

claim to be a “journalist” regardless of their qualifications, competence, and realization for

responsibility?” Unless they know who is worthy of being a member of the press, who deserves

this title, and who is a mouthpiece, they will never be able to hold propagandists accountable.

They need facts, and explanations, not Twitter trends and social media outrage. They also need to

be taught of figures like Jamal Khashoggi, or Julian Assange, to explain how governments and

media work, regardless of what system the government follows, so they realize Pakistan is not

the only country where the deep state exerts influence on the press.

Statecraft, media, 5GW:

Policy Paper 18

The role of storytelling in statecraft has been evident in several instances. It manifests

itself in the form of controversy and social media outrage. A very famous example of the former,

is Chernobyl, a historical drama television miniseries produced by HBO and Sky UK, revolving

around the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of April 1986 and the cleanup efforts that followed. It is

an effort to portray how the Kremlin remains standing on propaganda alone for years and weaken

Russia’s case. This is precisely why Russia announced a remake to “objectively discuss” the

incident.

A single-sided hostile narrative, un-countered, has the power to drown the other party, in a

quagmire of misinformation. This is exactly what Israel did with Fauda, a Tel Aviv production

about the struggle of the Israeli Defense Forces, and justification of their crimes. The serial even

goes to the extent of linking Hamas to ISIS in the storyline. Hamas’ social service wing, Dawah,

and their military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, both have been subject to

mudslinging as well as linking Hamas to the Islamic State. A large number of people unfamiliar

with the conflict will buy whatever Israel had to tell them about it. It will strike a blow to the

little sympathy people may have for the Arabs, seeing them as barbarians.

Layla M. was another borderline Islam phobic film, following the story of a young girl who

becomes an ISIS bride in the Netherlands, in a reaction to the “little” racism she faces.

Radicalization does not work as simply as it is put.

Speaking of the deep state’s involvement in the media, Hollywood doesn’t throw movies out of

nowhere. In the years after the Second World War, after which the USA laid its hands on the best

of the best filmmakers, scriptwriters, storytellers, and directors, to advertise American culture to

the rest of the world. Moreover, the developed West successfully portrays their soldiers in a

positive light in films.

Policy Paper 19

Examples include 12 Strong, Hurt locker, American Sniper, etc. Despite invasions, attacks on

civilians, and countless war atrocities, what do we see? The murders, executions, bombing

civilians, and arming militants become irrelevant because a white soldier is suffering from

PTSD. Prisons like Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo are ignored. Children and women raped by, or

on the watch of the US military are never mentioned. It is not a coincidence there was never a

film on napalm in Vietnam, or on the cluster bombs which continue to kill people in the forests

of Laos even today. Nor is there any film about CIA’s black ops funding which comes from it

profiting in the drug trade in Latin America and Afghanistan, or of the Pakistani children over

fourteen, who were declared a threat, maimed and killed in drone strikes, and on the havoc and

killing spree Black water went on in Pakistan. Public opinion would certainly be very different if

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria made films about what the USA has been up to. It

is also noteworthy that a number of films and documentaries were put out about the Egyptian

revolution after the government fell into the hands of a pro-Western leader. But there was none

about the revolution in Libya: Gaddafi’s ousting, an endeavor which Obama called his “worst

mistake”. This is a textbook example of how the West humanizes war, bloodshed, invasion, and

airstrikes, all through film.

Another classic example of the deep state and the media is how America used the media to shift

public opinion enough to invade Iraq. It may or may not do the same with Afghanistan, Pakistan

should be prepared either way. The only way to be prepared and avoid disasters as we have seen

previously is to counterweight the information they churn out.

If we move on to Bollywood, recently released films like Padmavat, and Panipat is more about

Hindu supremacy and demonizing Muslim rulers of the subcontinent. They blatantly disregard

history. For example, in Padmavat, Sultan Allauddin Khilji has been shown as a pathetic,
Policy Paper 20

barbaric character. The reality, however, was quite different. Allauddin was one of the most

powerful Sultans of the Delhi Sultanate, as well as the last actual resistance in the subcontinent

to the Mongol invasions. Demonizing Muslim rulers is just another step in turning India’s

population at large, further anti-Muslim. Not to mention the fact that even ordinary Muslims are

shown in a certain light. They act a certain way and almost certainly are notorious characters.

The world’s largest democracy is demonizing Muslim rulers its people.

Another series India released about Pakistan was Bard of Blood. Playing with existing rhetoric

on war, terrorism, military operations, and Islam and using semiotics portray Pakistan as a rogue

state. Despite the appalling inaccuracies in the show, it is a move nevertheless, trying to

internationalize the ethnic conflict in Balochistan, using it as a counterweight for Kashmir.

India has also strategically targeted the Afghan audience, by releasing a documentary “Daesh dar

Afghanistan” on Tolo News, Afghanistan’s largest private TV channel. The documentary, if

taken at face value, has tried to portray Pakistan as an enemy rather than a friend to its western

neighbor. It also pitches Pakistan as the power behind IS-K and Daesh in Afghanistan. However,

the flawed scripting reveals the lies and the lack of substance in the documentary with absurd

figures, and footage that was allegedly from Syria.

Infotainment is as real of a threat as factual news and is indeed key to shaping public opinion,

thus pressurizing the government into forming public policy. These are enough reasons to

explain the phenomenon to the upcoming generation.

Media, colonialism, and cultural imperialism

Cultural imperialism refers to the compromises of the cultural aspects of imperialism.

The word Imperialism here implies to the creation and maintenance of unequal relationships
Policy Paper 21

between the civilizations where one civilization could be more favored than the other in terms of

higher power.

Often than not we notice how in order to enhance a culture another culture takes a step back and

is put into the background and overshadowed by the dominant new culture that is taking the

masses by storm. There is an essential need to cut back from this concept, since this allows

monopoly of only one culture in the community that further allows the assumptions and

predictions regarding other cultures to take place. This leads to the spreading of misinformation

and the misinterpretations that take place due to the lack of knowledge about the subject. It

allows no room for equality and makes next to no improvement into becoming an accepting

society and community of people that are capable of understanding the perspectives and

backgrounds of individuals of all kinds.

The media is influenced in many instances where certain cultures are given favorability, where

cultures seem to be influenced by powerful ones and that is what is being referenced in the

content of the media and without knowing, as an audience we agree to those very values and

teachings being presented on our screens. That unfortunately makes the audience believe that

what they are visually and verbally consuming in terms of media content is true and authentic;

however, in reality it is far from the truth.

Conclusion:

We need to understand that we are living in an era where postmodernism, an art

movement that took birth nearly a century ago, to an extent, is still ruling the world that we live

in today. Post-modern artists, poets, and theologists believed in questioning the ‘reality of reality.

It allowed people to break free from the pressure of being “life-like” in art, literature, and the

likes, with covert symbolism. Another dimension is that of perception: our ability as humans to
Policy Paper 22

see, hear or become aware of something through the senses. Speaking in psychological terms, we

tend to inherently rely more on pictorial messages than other mediums. This is where the

audio-visual mediums we have today, come into play.

This brings an interesting question to the floor. Is perception the easiest thing to play with? The

answer to that is yes. And thus, it is imperative that be mindful of false narratives, and the

potentially dire consequences they may have. It is important to be aware of them. It is our

responsibility to educate ourselves, and our children, to protect our nations from 5th generation

warfare, regardless of what the source of the content is. We need to read more and learn more.

Keeping in touch with facts is the only thing that can protect us. This is why we reiterate that a

comprehensive course on media literacy and the processes, outcomes, and implications of global

media is inculcated into the national curriculum.

In a nutshell, reports by EU Disinfo, and dossiers released to the public about external and

internal actors on disinformation will not help protect this country. It will be education,

awareness, and a generation that knows how to keep its feet to the ground, even in the face of

perceived adversity, a generation that understands how to deal with an intangible threat.
Policy Paper 23

References

Aslam, I., & Ali, K. A. (2009). Media Matters in Pakistan. Middle East Report, 32-36.
Policy Paper 24

Attacks on the Press 1999. (2000, March 22). From CPJ.

https://cpj.org/2000/03/attacks-on-the-press-1999-pakistan/

Bail, C. A., Argyle, L. P., B. T., Bumpus, J. P., & Chen, H. (2018). Exposure to opposing views

on social media can increase political polarization. PNAS.

Campante, F. R., & Hojman, D. A. (2012). Media and Polarization. Journal of Public

Economics, 79-92

Clampdown on expression online persists as Laos slips further down the press freedom rankings.

(2020, May 29). From CIVICUS.

https://monitor.civicus.org/updates/2020/05/29/clampdown-expression-online-persists-lao

s-slips-further-down-press-freedom-rankings/.

Documentary, R. (2020, June 22). Propaganda factory: Hollywood at the service of American

politics. From YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbButG6zS3A

Editor, C. (2020, February 17). Pakistani journalist murdered after warning of threats against

him. From Committee to Protect Journalists:

https://cpj.org/2020/02/pakistani-journalist-murdered-after-warning-of-thr/

Fahim, J. (2021, May 19). Ramadan TV: Seven things we learned from the 2021 shows. From

Middle East Eye:

https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/ramadan-arab-tv-review-seven-things-learned

Fernandes, S. (2017). Curated Stories: The Uses and Misuses of Storytelling. Oxford Scholarship

Online.

Freedom in the world 2017- United Arab Emirates. (2017). From Refworld.

https://www.refworld.org/docid/59479a6626.html
Policy Paper 25

Kazakhstan profile- Media. (2018, November 20). From BBC NEWS.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15482614

Kuwaiti authorities detain blogger Mohammed al-Ajmi for ‘insulting religion’ in tweets. (2020,

August 27). From CPJ.

https://cpj.org/2020/08/kuwaiti-authorities-detain-blogger-mohamed-al-ajmi-for-insulting

-religion-in-tweets/

Kuwaiti authorities sentence local journalist in absentia to five years hard labor. (2018, January

12). From CPJ.

https://cpj.org/2018/01/kuwaiti-authorities-sentence-local-journalist-in-a/

Lkaderi, S. (2021, April 16). Egyptians angry at violence and alcohol in new Ramadan TV

shows. From Middle East Eye:

https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/egyptians-angry-violence-and-alcohol-new-ramada

n-tv-shows

McQuail, D. (1977). The influence and effects of mass media. Mass Communication and Society,

70-94.

Mukhopadhyay, A. (2020, December 23). Missing Pakistani activist Karima Baloch found dead

in Toronto. From DW.

https://www.dw.com/en/missing-pakistani-activist-karima-baloch-found-dead-in-toronto/

a-56037459

News, E. W. (2021, May 26). Pakistan journalist Asad Ali Toor attacked by masked men at home

in Islamabad. From YouTube: https://youtu.be/0F_8RwtsQSM

Policy Paper 26

Princess Latifa timeline: The failed escapes of Sheikh Mohammed’s daughters. (February 16).

From BBC NEWS.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56085734

Punishment for telling the truth. Retrieved June 26, 2021.

https://jang.com.pk/thenews/spedition/waronjang/ch.htm

Record number of journalists jailed nationwide. (2020, December 15). From CPJ.

https://cpj.org/reports/2020/12/record-number-journalists-jailed-imprisoned/#:~:text=Egy

ptian%20authorities%2C%20meanwhile%2C%20intensified%20their,a%20record%20set

%20in%202016.

Roth, A. (2019, June 7). Russian TV to air its own patriotic retelling of Chernobyl story. From

The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/07/chernobyl-hbo-russian-tv-remake

Russ. (2018, April 26). Layla M: Yet another innocent claimed, and to be claimed, by ISIS. From

The Ohio State University:

https://u.osu.edu/arabic2241/2018/04/26/layla-m-yet-another-innocent-claimed-and-to-be

-claimed-by-isis/

Salman, K. (2020, August 7). The Art of Storytelling in Statecraft. From South Asia Times:

https://www.satimes.tv/the-art-of-storytelling-in-statecraft/

Salman, K. (2020, July 27). Another Failed Surgical Strike, Another Disaster for India. From

South Asia Times:

https://www.satimes.tv/another-failed-surgical-strike-another-disaster-for-india/
Policy Paper 27

Society of Professional Journalists. (2014, September 6). From

https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp: https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

Somos, C. (2020, December 22). Pakistani rights activist’s death in Toronto ‘non-criminal’,

policy say. From CTVNews.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/pakistani-rights-activist-s-death-in-toronto-non-criminal-

police-say-1.5241415

Strömbäck, J. (2008). Four phases of mediatization: An analysis of the mediatization of politics.

The International Journal of Press, 228-246.

Ten years after the Arab Spring, the region’s media faces grave threats. Here are the top press

freedom trends. (2012, January 21). From CPJ.

https://cpj.org/mideast/kuwait/

Won’t chant Pakistan Khappay if anything happened to Maryam: Latif. (2021, March 13). From

SAMAA.

https://www.samaa.tv/news/2021/03/wont-chant-pakistan-khappay-if-anything-happened-

to-maryam-latif/

Zeidan, G. (2020, April 24). Opinion | ‘Fauda’ Isn't Just Ignorant, Dishonest and Sadly Absurd.

It's anti-Palestinian Incitement. From Haaretz:

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-fauda-isn-t-just-ignorant-dishonest-and-a

bsurd-it-s-anti-palestinian-incitement-1.8788542
Policy Paper 28