The content being aired on our news channels is a debate that has caught the attention of not only the common man but experts, who are part of this business, as well.
Are we diverting the people’s attention from real issues? Is making money an impediment in portraying the truth? These are disturbing questions in the context of the electronic media’s everyday performance.
The launch of Geo News in 2002 marked the advent of independent news in Pakistan. Prior to that the 9 o’clock bulletin by state-owned PTV was the only window to local and international news.
The private media debut led to the mushroom growth of TV channels and to be a journalist became the aspiration of almost every youngster. Earlier, having a degree in media was not mandatory to be a journalist, but today, in TV news channels in Pakistan, youngsters with a degree in Mass Communication are considered par for the course.
With the spurt in news channels, the demand for skilled professionals also rose but unfortunately, this led to massive employment of fairly proficient professionals, who would produce anything in the lust for money or promotion, hence affecting the overall facade of channels. Having an experience of almost two decades in electronic and print media, Ahmad Waleed, Controller News, North Samaa TV says, “It has been observed that most people being hired in the electronic media are not trained enough to perform their duties with responsibility. Most of the channels try to induct young people with little experience in the central newsrooms”.
Geo News anchor Mansoor Ali Khan sees a mixed bag. He says, “There are all sorts of people in this profession; some big names in the industry from both inexperienced and competent generations.”
Experience in the media was once considered the key to success but today a good-looking face and a forceful, if melodramatic, personality is far more successful than someone with intellectual depth. Anchors like Kamran Shahid, Meher Bokhari and Jasmine Manzoor with an obvious aggressive streak and sarcastic intonation acquire higher ratings compared to the likes of veterans like Nusrat Javeed and others with more grey cells.
Ayesha Alam Khan, a former TV talk show host and columnist, says, “I have said this before and I will say it again. Sane voices have slowly been weeded out of the media. The ones that don’t play to the crowd, the ones that are liberal and not echoing the sounds of hysteria, seem to be unpopular in Pakistan today. Why? Ratings! Being popular and echoing the minds of the ill-informed gets higher ratings than someone capable. And TV channels give in to that. Money is key. Ratings are what drive programming. I question how these ratings are achieved to begin with.”
In the race for ratings and generating money, news has long turned into a business with TV channels shifting their policies and focus from hard-core news to ratings-induced content.
The present-day formula for a successful TV channel is to have more hostility in talk shows and use popular Indian item numbers to bring ‘colour’ to the proceedings.
Producers aggressively pushing for these numbers to bring out the character of a politician or a political development in bulletins are a familiar newsroom sight.
None too happy at the regimented colour, ARY News Producer Masooma Arif says, “Previously, people like us were eager to join the profession but since the media has stooped to conquer, I know so many talented people who have left the profession because they were forced to produce programmes, which they themselves didn’t believe in or which were morally incorrect, whereas the others who are still here are forced to lump it because decent jobs are hard to come by.”
Aamir Ghauri, anchor at ARY News, also laments the state of affairs. “Media’s focus remains narrow — it is premised in presentation rather than content,” he says. “Like every other profession, this market also faced slumps. Almost two years ago, accomplished producers were offered jobs with a salary in the Rs200,000 bracket but today, you will meet highly capable producers getting as little as one-tenth of that sum, depending on the channels they are working with,” Ghauri points out.
Channel owners hire amateur professionals to cut their losses but how this affects the content of channels is the least of media organizations’ concern.
Interestingly, some unseasoned producers, associated with popular anchors, followed the trend of switching channels along with these anchors and this shift earned them quite a fortune in the initial years of their careers.
Ajmal Jami, news anchor at Dunya News, blames the electronic media for being insensitive and indifferent to serious issues.
“Usually our channels don’t bother with the long run impact of a “sensitive” story. And all this is happening because of ‘rating phobia’. Quality is being compromised by quantity.”
Nonetheless, defending the content of channels, Ahmad Waleed, Controller News Samaa TV retorts, “There are programmes with sound content also and these do enjoy good ratings. Things will hopefully, improve with the passage of time.”
Ayesha Alam thinks the twain can meet. “Quality and ratings can go hand in hand. Quality does not mean boring intellectual mumbo jumbo that the average person won’t appreciate”.
Another shocking trend is the influx of breaking news. If one switches a channel at any time of the day, one is sure to find “breaking news” at least once every few hours — a sharp contrast to the fare in the West, where breaking news might occur after days or maybe weeks.
Geo anchor Mansoor Ali Khan blames the viewing public for the trend. “Our public loves the concept of breaking news and the rating of every single minute has proved that. Pakistani media is not the only one (indulging the practice) even the Indian media is also doing the same”.
Nevertheless, some media personnel agree with the fact that breaking news has lost its vitality and value. Aamir Ghauri, Anchor ARY News, says, “Breaking news is a mad rat race. It represents the hollowness of our collective Electronic News Gathering effort”.
Morning shows serve as a cherry on the cake. Internationally, these shows present an insight into the world of news of the preceding and forthcoming days, where discussions are held among experts.
Morning shows on Pakistani channels however, are a different kettle of fish.
Be it stalking queen Maya Khan, Barbie doll Nida Yasir, Lollywood heartthrobs Rambo and Sahiba, or the self-styled Shah Rukh Khan lookalike Sahir Lodhi.
All these anchors have changed the concept of morning shows by becoming executive producers of their own shows. Anchors are celebrating wedding seasons, teaching dance and aerobics routines, learning magic, cooking food etc. And all the fare is dished live on news channels far from debating critical matters that plague the society. Ayesha Alam, a former morning show TV host, is clearly not impressed.
“I don’t want to sound biased because I used to host a morning show but it really is a shame what has been done to the morning slot across the board. I understand the need for some entertainment but to completely dumb down is insane. We should be educating, informing, teaching what we can through the medium while making it fun... and I personally feel morning shows now are nothing but a tamasha of make-up, dance and wardrobe now.”
Aamir Ghauri bemoans the slide. “In the Pakistani case — to a large extent — the media is all about sensation. It mimics print ethos — headline journalism without much information or depth.” There happens to be a thin line between truth and exaggeration but only those who know the difference would understand and news channels today appear to have transgressed all the parameters.
Another evident chink is the direction of the electronic media. Instead of focusing on local human interest stories, the Pakistani media is busy giving breaking news about Indian celebrities. For instance, Shah Rukh Khan’s statements or Jaya Bachchan’s monetary assets. Issues like these were given so much coverage that they were aired as breaking news on the local channels.
Ayesha Alam says, “Actually it is shocking how much coverage we give to Indian celebrities, especially since it’s not reciprocated with our celebs. We cannot have a successful media industry till we have a successful celebrity industry and we are always putting our own down in favour of celebs from elsewhere.”
Anchor Ajmal Jami is similarly dismayed. “Our content is based on random items. You may say it’s directionless, especially when it comes to talking about some serious national issue. Anchor Mansoor Ali Khan counters the critique, suggesting these are still early days.
“Our media is still young and immature but it is learning and improving. Ten years is not a long enough span (to pass judgment).”
The investors in media are another crucial reason for the detrimental sway in the content of a channel. Some invest for profit, some for fame and others want to influence the pulse of the society. Once the media evinced a certain responsibility towards the society but now TV channels are in the hands of mere money making machines.
When journalists this scribe spoke to were asked “what do you think are the priorities of media investors”, most of them were understandably reluctant and parried the question.
Ayesha Alam suggests that in a country that has a majority of illiterate people, the media should be playing more of a role in setting the record straight and helping them to make informed decisions.
“We should not leave them feeling like there is no hope and they are completely helpless. It’s a very fine line to walk and that is where responsible media comes in. All channel heads need to sit together and work out a policy that is for the betterment of the country and not just for their own personal gains”.
The writer has worked for Dawn News TV and won the runner-up CNN Young Journalist Award in 2007. She is based in Lahore.
