03-30-2009, 06:36 PM
Amir,
I today received a forward e-mail containing all the stuff regarding salaries and other things pertaining to Geo and its anchors. Exactly the same figures you pointed out in your earlier post, and may be this was also derived from similar forward e-mail message.
The analysis given in the said e-mail is appealing to some extent that why the media of other countries is not reporting similar incidents in the way Geo is doing. For example, why thousands of rapes done at USA are never questioned but Mukhtaran Mai issue has been immensely projected? Why thousands of murders at Gujrat, India are never projected by any TV channel of India but similar things happening at Pakistan are pointed out?
Although everything has a unique answer and a very long debate could be done, but I don't go into it since it's simply an opinion of others which I need not to modify.
However, one thing should not be forgotten which I consider expedient to write here. This is not merely Geo, I mean every Pakistani media channel is doing the same thing. There may be lead of Geo on some fronts but to my apprehension it's merely a business war and lead.
In my view, there should be no point in banning the media from on-airing the facts. The things which are beyond some moral or legal boundaries should be controlled by PEMRA. The freedom of media, and upfront information which we get, is the only good thing in Pakistan. I can debate that media is the only thing which could be termed as "good" in our country.
I don't negate that journalists don't take benefits and don't blackmail people. It's a truth. Such people always take personal benefits and are supposed to be the actors of their own kind. Dr. Shahid Masood was becoming such a hero on Lal Masjid incident and people were believing him a messiah, but eventually we came to know what he was and what he is. The Geo in it's own program "Jawab Deh" uncovered so much about his relationships with Musharraf. I mean this is one of the best examples of positive facet of media. Dr. Shahid took benefits from current Govt. God knows what made him to resign from the seat of Chairman of PTV and deny the position of minister. There may also be another story which may be unleashed afterwards. It may also be the voice of interior. We cannot say anything with surety.
Black sheep could be found every where and as such media may not be an exception. However, we should also not forget the positive role and benefits merely basing our views on rumors and forward e-mail messages.
It is also said that bala bala is US paid. I wonder on such allegations. I mean everything we have is US paid. Every thing we are going to have is US paid (or its allies paid). I don't mean that Geo is necessarily the US paid or backed channel. But I am simply analyzing what mindset we have. Our kids get the vaccination which these advanced nations donate to us. I mean this starts from the very first month of our lives. What not and what not is US (or its allied) paid here? Most of our front line officials could be US paid. As a nation we have only one worry, "what US is going to pay us". What grant/loan we are going to get and on what terms. We also know where such grants and loans are utilized. We always look-forward to US. I mean indirectly we all do it. And then we also criticize and allege that bala bala is US paid. It's ridiculous. If we have such "qaumi ghairat" we will have to work from scratch. Otherwise such allegations are merely our own disrespect.
This post is not any criticism on your viewpoint. Rather, these are my comments on the forward e-mail I received.
Regards,
KAMRAN.
I today received a forward e-mail containing all the stuff regarding salaries and other things pertaining to Geo and its anchors. Exactly the same figures you pointed out in your earlier post, and may be this was also derived from similar forward e-mail message.
The analysis given in the said e-mail is appealing to some extent that why the media of other countries is not reporting similar incidents in the way Geo is doing. For example, why thousands of rapes done at USA are never questioned but Mukhtaran Mai issue has been immensely projected? Why thousands of murders at Gujrat, India are never projected by any TV channel of India but similar things happening at Pakistan are pointed out?
Although everything has a unique answer and a very long debate could be done, but I don't go into it since it's simply an opinion of others which I need not to modify.
However, one thing should not be forgotten which I consider expedient to write here. This is not merely Geo, I mean every Pakistani media channel is doing the same thing. There may be lead of Geo on some fronts but to my apprehension it's merely a business war and lead.
In my view, there should be no point in banning the media from on-airing the facts. The things which are beyond some moral or legal boundaries should be controlled by PEMRA. The freedom of media, and upfront information which we get, is the only good thing in Pakistan. I can debate that media is the only thing which could be termed as "good" in our country.
I don't negate that journalists don't take benefits and don't blackmail people. It's a truth. Such people always take personal benefits and are supposed to be the actors of their own kind. Dr. Shahid Masood was becoming such a hero on Lal Masjid incident and people were believing him a messiah, but eventually we came to know what he was and what he is. The Geo in it's own program "Jawab Deh" uncovered so much about his relationships with Musharraf. I mean this is one of the best examples of positive facet of media. Dr. Shahid took benefits from current Govt. God knows what made him to resign from the seat of Chairman of PTV and deny the position of minister. There may also be another story which may be unleashed afterwards. It may also be the voice of interior. We cannot say anything with surety.
Black sheep could be found every where and as such media may not be an exception. However, we should also not forget the positive role and benefits merely basing our views on rumors and forward e-mail messages.
It is also said that bala bala is US paid. I wonder on such allegations. I mean everything we have is US paid. Every thing we are going to have is US paid (or its allies paid). I don't mean that Geo is necessarily the US paid or backed channel. But I am simply analyzing what mindset we have. Our kids get the vaccination which these advanced nations donate to us. I mean this starts from the very first month of our lives. What not and what not is US (or its allied) paid here? Most of our front line officials could be US paid. As a nation we have only one worry, "what US is going to pay us". What grant/loan we are going to get and on what terms. We also know where such grants and loans are utilized. We always look-forward to US. I mean indirectly we all do it. And then we also criticize and allege that bala bala is US paid. It's ridiculous. If we have such "qaumi ghairat" we will have to work from scratch. Otherwise such allegations are merely our own disrespect.
This post is not any criticism on your viewpoint. Rather, these are my comments on the forward e-mail I received.
Regards,
KAMRAN.
