Thousands of years ago mystic in Sub continent discovered the important principal of Psychology. They discovered that world we see is actually the projection of our mind. Great Urdu poet Nasir Kazmi beautifully expressed this principal in his poem when he said
دل تواپنا اداس ÛÛ’ ناصر
Ø´Ûر کیوں سائین سائین کرتا ÛÛ’
(It’s my heart which is in grief, why whole city seems to be in deserted)
Press in any country gives an introduction to Psychology of that nation. It gives a good Idea how people think on different issues and also projects the national power of the state.
National power is defined as the sum of all resources available to a nation in the pursuit of national objectives. Ther elements of national power are namely
· Geography.(size and terrain)
· Resources.( Mineral Resources)
· Population.
· Economic.( Industrial Capability)
· Political.(Leadership and System)
· Military.
· National Character
· National Morale
· Informational.
i.e. News Papers and Television gives glimpse of National Character and Morale and that is why every consulate or embassy has a special section to monitor the news papers and media of their host country.
Pakistan got its independence in 1947 from British raj. Since then Pakistani media has grown remarkable. Today there are 100’s of News papers and magazines along with dozens of News and Entertainment channels in 5 provinces of Pakistan.
Majority of these channels and Papers are owned by big business tycoons like Geo/The News and Jhung owned by Mir Khalil ur Rehman and his descendents, Express media Group by Lakson Group, Daily Times/ Business Plus/ Daily aajkal owned by Late governor Salman Taseer, Waqt/Nation/ Nawai Waqt by Majeed Nizami and Dunya TV by Former Mare of Lahore Mian Amir.
I personally believe a National Media has a moral Duty towards Nation, but the experience dictates that the media in Pakistan operates on classical Capitalist principals. The Principals of Demand and supply, and acts, many time not in interests of nation but in interests of Capitalists. That is why we see the Geo/Jhung Group… anti Government, Waqt/ Nawai Waqt selling Ideology of Pakistan and other groups selling the interests of their owners and their Political policies.
In this era of Globalization reality is not what is on the ground but reality is what is constructed in minds of Public by controlling their perceptions. Media in hands of Capitalist becomes greatest enemy of nation state in which it operates especially in third world countries like Pakistan.
As laws of Demand and supply states
· If demand increases and supply remains unchanged then higher equilibrium price and quantity.
· If demand decreases and supply remains the same then lower equilibrium price and quantity.
· If supply increases and demand remains unchanged then lower equilibrium price and higher quantity.
· If supply decreases and demand remains the same then higher price and lower quantity.
Following these principals media create hypes and exploit emotions of its readers or viewers. Some who sell ideology misguide people to satisfy their emotions and those who want more sales and ratings encourage spreading and giving wrong trends. Some time the channels and News papers take money from internal and external political and economic forces and misguide their viewers in the direction those forces want public sentiments to go.
As the motive of establishing a channel or News Paper is solely to earn that is why media many times confuses or pressurize the government and Public. This confusion damages Nation in decision making and unduly pressurizes the government. In countries like Pakistan media persons sometimes act like Dons and their card sometimes become more powerful then government officials.
All what I have said above don’t means that whole media is bad. There are some good people in it who try to do good for the nation and public whenever they get chance, but as a whole you have to do what your pay master want you to do, if not then you have to leave and find new job when there is joblessness and inflation prevailing in the state.
Media in third world countries is the big reason for extremism and clash of Values .It is said that our words are door way to our thinking pattern. Comments on different stories in our media , especially in web versions of papers like Tribune and Dawn give us idea of thinking pattern of the readers. In Pakistani News web sites these Comment sections sometimes become cyber battle field “left” and “right” thanks to confusion created by leftist and rightist media out lets who operate on principals of demand and supply.
There is an old saying that “If you don’t have self respect no one will respect you”. A greedy man prefers money over the self respect. In globalize world you cannot hide things from the world. Comment s reflects the mind set and thinking pattern. And when sections of media try to protect and further the petty interests of lobbies and fraction which they represents and try to destroy the social fabric and norms of society then confusion prevails and nationals media gives wrong message to outsiders who try to judge the whole nation from the content publish in national media.
Leaders of society should take notice of extremist trends and try to control them. Pakistan is Pakistan, Its neither Western country nor Any Arab colony. Majority of Pakistanies are Muslims and our traditions are rooted in Islamic values not in Arabian Bedouin Values. As Prophet (PBUH & HF) said “The Best way is Middle Way”. Leaders, both intellectual and political should come forward and fight the frustration and hopelessness radicalizing both Left and right. Political leader ship should legislate and enforce strict laws on media to control it. I think an independent institution with equal representation of all Political forces should be established to control the media and make it follow nationalist policy.