ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: The speakers at a seminar on Tuesday were clearly divided over the role of media in influencing change in the society and system.
While the government functionaries and intellectuals believed that media was powerful and strong enough to trigger change in the society and affect public opinion over issues, senior journalists blamed the establishment for trying to contain the free flow of information that was leading to gagging growth of media.
The seminar titled, `Pakistan Media: Impact of Society and foreign and Security Policy` was organised by Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI).
However, the speakers were unanimous in their views that the conditions similar to the Arab world did not exist in Pakistan as the society and media here are more mature.
Former information minister, Qamar Zaman Kaira, said that it was mainly due to media that the nation got divided after the assassination of former Governor Punjab, Salman Taseer.
“Similarly the media groups were not on the same page on the issue of Jehad and militancy,” Mr Kaira said, adding, “But media has strong traditions and it always stood for democracy.”
Ammara Durrani, strategic communication specialists, Information ministry and Amna Khokhar, research fellow at the ISSI in their presentations stressed that media was a strong voice in Pakistan, and was a critical political watchdog in the country.
“Now the masses have greater powers over the policy makers and the strong public demands are reflected in the policy issues,” Ammara Durrani said.
Ammara Durrani said “Now in Pakistan media is a powerful game changer, it is only because of media that the authorities are taking care of issue like the Kerry Lugar Bill and Raymond Davis.”
Senior journalists, Mohammad Ziauddin, Talat Hussain and Zahid Hussain blamed the establishment for distorting the facts and containing the flow of information that was containing the growth of mature media in Pakistan.
Mr Ziauddin spoke about media ethics and said that from 1962 to 1987 country had no media ethics as all the news were being controlled by the official departments.
While Talat Hussain was very vocal in his presentation and said that things only change when the authorities want and not on media reports.
“Everything was happening in the country prior to 2002, when media was quite weak and there was no electronic media,” he said adding, “Now when the cases of corruption and mismanagement are being highlighted everyday, what is the net result?” He said that the establishment in the country was confused over key issues and now they were blaming media for every development in the country.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/23/2011
