Media, also considered as broadcast media or mass media has always helped in shaping the perceptual regimes and visions of any society. When talking about media we are talking about all its forms including Print, Radio and electronic media. Media’s sole purpose in to inform people. It depicts all kinds of information about anything and everything. Now the question that arises is how it does so?
First comes the point of media literacy, if that is not found in any society it will have no effect or impact whatsoever. But now a day’s Media and its counterparts acts as a phenomena in effecting people, their thinking, personalities and of course the cultural norms of a given society and in our case, the Pakistani Society.
Pakistan has a very vibrant and versatile media landscape and in enjoys the freedom of expression. Media has touched and effected every aspect of people’s lives be it work, relationships, education and entertainment. Media also has a huge responsibility of conveying the truth and every vital information deemed necessary to people in the 21st century. But it is said that media does not only informs people about the world but it majorly affects their thinking patterns as well.
Ayesha Tahir
Media in many kinds including Television, Radio and Print helps in educating the people. Such information is given that helps in broadening their horizons and thus they are able to see the world better with open eyes and open mind. They become aware of what is happening and finds ways of survival through enough knowledge of the world around them. The media, the programs it implicates have a major impact on people and then they listen. Media also works for the betterment of the society; it educates, informs, liberates and empowers the society and its people. Moreover, Media is a source of information as well as communication.
Every source of media has its own effects on the society, its own ways of informing people and changing their perceptions. In Print, the newspapers play an extreme vital role in the reconstruction of the society by highlighting the social, economic, and moral evils in society. Newspapers also give stories, personal articles, crossword puzzles and information about international and national affairs. Not just the content in the newspapers exudes importance in giving away information but the advertisements given also provide information on various matters and things. Every form of Print media including newspapers, magazines and articles contain all what is needed, required and desired by every person’s life.
Media not only educates but also entertains, this is where the other two main forms of media; Radio and Television, play the vital role. The movies, shows and film portray violence, sexual content, abusive language plus music and rock bands give out messages that alcohol, drugs and sex are a vital part of life. These sources in Television of course are not appropriate and are not portraying the real picture; in fact all of the material in television is usually sensationalized and exaggerated. The advertisements also promise something else whereas the real picture is far from what is actually portrayed. Advertisements lie and deceit a company’s products just for the sole purpose of gaining profit and creating misconceptions in the consumers’ minds.
The media also creates celebrities, idols and images that people follow as fans and think of them as their ideals. Whereas they are actually having a negative impact especially on the younger generation. Girls stake their lives and health just to look like zero models on fashion channels. Guys want to own guns and weapons just because they will look cool like the actors in Movies. Television may have its advantages but today its disadvantages have clearly outnumbered its benefits it first used to portray.
The media does play an important role in positive developments such as fighting against racism, gender bias, and world poverty and world peace. Media is a reflection of the society and its culture but now a day’s media does more than that; sensationalizes and exaggerates. Taking into consideration that media has successfully buried values and elements into society it also has disrupted the culture and the cultural norms of any society in the world.
Media is an important mode of disseminating information and in Pakistan media content is now distorted mainly because of coercion, pressure, bribery and propaganda from outside actors. Some areas in Pakistan suffer from a lack of access to information or only receive information that is one-sided and manipulated. These reasons have also disrupted our cultural norms immensely because they do not portray the real true picture of what is happening.
We are following the Indian culture as well as the western culture. These both have influenced us so much that our own norms and beliefs are buried somewhere deep. Dramas are aired against Islamic cultural values, our values. People of Pakistan have fallen prey on modernity and glamour which is again what our values and norms are not. Our Pakistani and Islamic culture is highly disrupted because of outside influences and has erased our norms our beliefs through the development of media.
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