List of Articles by
Hikmat Turabi
hikmatturabi@hotmail.com
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In The Court
Of Media
By Hikmat Turabi
From the dark stretch out of our
nameless identity to the dawn of new horizon of recognized social order,
we have been conversant and educated by the revolutionary global media.
Especially in the south East Asia, this
contemporary media has played a fundamental role, where the crack of
dawn has appeared lately as contrasted from the West. Whereas, in
Pakistan we have suffered in ages for our own national identity, where
we were suffering for awareness, where we were restricted for a limited
visionMedia has taken over, by the passage of time Media has completed
its life term of sixty years and some how managed to be unchained, and
have retrieved our visions from the prisons of untaught.
"media is known as
the fourth pillar of the State, but this fourth pillar has always
intended to control the remaining three pillars"
Considerably media is known as the fourth
pillar of the State, but this fourth pillar has always intended to
control the remaining three pillars, and this contradiction has hauled
media into a sizzling position, which appeared with a pessimistic image
only in the conservative segment of our society and still going through
with baseless criticisms.
By its temperament media has to be a vigilant force in order to shield
our National interest simultaneously. In broader prospect, it is
necessary to be observant on the functioning policies of governments and
all issues pertaining to the nation directly or indirectly as a
responsible stake holder.
Surprisingly in Pakistan, people have positioned media as a decision
maker for all odds and evens of the society, evermore they consider
their TV screens as a law court rooms and TV anchors as arbitrators,
since this open media has played a revolutionary role which was never
before, they take-up issues as cases filed by the nation, they
investigates, they procure witnesses and evidences and starts hearings
in studios, no lingering dates , an eye opener sessions and an unbiased
decisions in just forty minutes, which certainly endorsed by the
audience. This is how its works!
These open camera sessions are loudly discuss in print media as to
complement each other. The dailies, weeklies and monthlies are also
daringly coming up with blistering leads and cover stories with great
insight investigative reporting.
This moderate system of magistrates has been loudly appreciated by the
public or they are rather relying on it, since those orthodox
methodologies has lost that confidence and status among the hope-faded
peoples of Pakistan, as wounds of corruption, terrorism and dishonesty
has strengthen its roots, and the common men has left with no option,
though they are not getting justices in terms of compensation but they
are certainly getting that satisfaction of comeback.
Now it is very easily visible that media in Pakistan is like a watch dog
on Government and its functionaries like never before, and it is
difficult for politician and bureaucratese to propel smoothly in same
old-fashion. Every action, every deal of Government is closely monitored
by media, thus, it is not easier for any administration to hide or
cover-up there blunders.
However, imbalances eventually lead to balance. The old truths and myths
of media are rapidly declining. Sure there has been a recent flow in
popularity among the media, but it is only because the country was fed
up with political system held in Parliament and Presidency that failed
to serve the interests of the public. In the long-term, an equal
following to build and continue amongst the supporters of the right
media to provide the balance and difference in opinion that our country
needs. It pushes elected officials to compromise and allow people to
digest information from both sides in order to make effective electoral
decisions based on their beliefs.
Most would agree that media needs balance, but
why?
Lets view this angle from the perspective of polarization and
nationalism. In my estimation, media needs to ask tough questions,
report on unethical behavior, and to provide an independent voice that
serves as a check and balance to government. However, if media were to
play the role of polarization and bias too, then our nation would drift
apart and stoke a fire of bitterness toward each other. Sure we have our
differences, but in reality we share much more in common with each
other. So, how can we work together with those that we have a hatred
for? For example, how long must we see the maps and boundaries of our
provinces when we are in fact a one nation?
The media have a strong social and cultural
impact upon society. It is through the persuasiveness of media such as
television, radio and print media that messages reach their target
audiences. These have been influential media as they have been largely
responsible for structuring people's daily lives and routines.
Television broadcasting has a large amount of control over the content
society watches and the times in which it is viewed. This is a
distinguishing feature of traditional media which new media have
challenged by altering the participation habits of the public
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If the country has not managed successfully
to communicate its policies then the title
Sleeping Giant
may be merited.
Image
and reputation have become an essential parts of a state's strategic
capital. Like branded products, branded states depend on trust and
customer satisfaction. And they are the harbingers of a postmodern
politics based on style as much as substance.
The term image seems
simple word but it is not. It is complex concept of communication that
embraces various issues and factors in inter-state relations. Image of a
country plays an important role in a country's foreign relations with
others. When a country's image is spoiled and branded wrongly it is hard
to rebuild and gain the proper place and prestige in international
community.
Image
is a REALITY; it is the result of our actions.
If the
image is false and our performance is good, it is our fault for being bad
communicator If the image is true and reflect our bad performance, its
our fault for being bad manager.
Unless we know our image we can neither communicate nor manage.
Today,
the world is one market, the advance of globalization means that every
country, city and region must compete with every other for its share of
the world's commercial, political, social and cultural transactions. In
such delicate environment, as in any busy market place, country's image
becomes a critical factor.
The Media currently appear to be a
divisive force in society. This is not their fault; it is their nature.
They deal with news and they deal with differences, they deal with
problems and they deal with disagreements.
Mass Media eventually can build or
tarnish the image of the country.
The debate on media is in fact a debate of
changing world. Media is just a reflection and manifestations of the
social realities. Media is the part and parcel of the society which is
going through rampant commercialization. All the sections of the society
including media have been influenced by the philosophy of "Survival of
Fittest theory where TRP is the major yardstick.
The emergences of international media
conglomerates have further ignited the complexity of image building. These
conglomerates are owned by rich countries, rich persons or groups. Because
of their huge resources and highly skilled work forces they have employed,
they sneeze in every part of the globe and have access to information that
the national media reach never. Today the globalization or mass media has
put the backward nation in a more precarious position in their image
building.
The media (especially television) has
become the main storytelling vehicle, journalists have become the key
players in myth making and identity building. Professional communicators
are central to creating a sense of "belonging" and "identity" which
underpins legitimate hegemonies.
Journalists are especially important sources of representations (stories,
memories, myths and ideologies) from which mass publics construct their
images of the world; their sense of collectivities and identities.
Building images is part of an intermeshed communicative process. Not
surprisingly, those seeking to build image building must engage in
perception management which means working with journalists to construct
representations (manages) appropriate to the needs of the image builders.
Image change usually takes place over
decades and generations, not months or years. This image change took place
as consequence of a deliberate, long-term program of political reform,
improved social stability, economic growth and, indispensably, a retreat
into non-militarism. Interestingly
Modernists propose that nations are
communicatively construed. They place great emphasis on the role played by
the media and intelligence (such as journalists) in the formation of
national image.
Media have an especially powerful influence in image
building, because the news media lies at the heart of circulating
political meanings. Journalists have therefore played a significant part
in constructing national image by using the electronic media is the key
embedding mechanism.
The
communication alone cannot alter a negative or outdated national image,
the critical question becomes whether it is indeed possible to close that
gap by other means.
To build the image of
the country there is a need to essentially plan for mobilizing the
strategies, activities, investments, innovations and communications of as
many national sectors as possible, both public and private, in a concerted
drive to prove to the world that Pakistan
deserves a different, broader and more positive image.
At the outset of the
new Pakistan millennium, Pakistan has taken a new direction in the world
arena. This effort should be strongly supported by the media to facilitate
the national image building as a brand new enterprise for Pakistan.
On the other hand,
national images, toward the subjective end are more fluid to cultivation.
On this part, now the media have a unique and sophisticated ground to play
on. Second, while building images, it is important to substantiate words
with deeds. Image building is more likely to produce desirable perceptions
when action conforms to the projected images. Third, it is important to
recognize that while it is easy to maintain an old negative image or to
gain a new negative image, it is extremely difficult to build a new
positive image. To put it, differently, it is very easy to be branded with
a bad image and very hard to redress and cure the scar. Finally,
projection of Pakistan's image through media aboard needs to take foreign
cultures into consideration.
The theory of media's
intervention on image building of the country is based on a three-pronged
approach of strategy, substance
and symbolic actions, planned and executed through
long-term planning.
Through six basic areas
of activity in which the media can set agenda to promote the real Pakistan
image: (1) Tourism promotion
, (2) Exported products and services, 3) Selling policy
decisions and beliefs, (4) Soliciting inward Investment, (5)
Cultural Exchange and Sports , (6) Selling politicians and stars.
The only way in which
media's role can be perused through media-zation of image building, where
the fundamental attraction and ultimate benefits of a shared national
strategy are communicated well enough to stir a genuine motivation on the
part of the various stakeholders, both public and private, to join forces.
Improved coordination between the six media activities, the joint
development of a national strategy, more sharing of resources and
expertise, the establishment of common standards and quality assurance
measures can achieve a great deal in image building.
Media are replacing
diplomats. Diplomatic profession is being undercut by the arrival of
global television. In this regard, diplomats are traditionally engaged in
intelligence gathering, negotiation, reporting and representation. When
diplomatic channels are closed during crisis, the new global media can
become alternative vehicles for exchanging information.
Attitudes towards a
country change depending on how it is shown on television screen. Research
also shows that television is more important for influencing public
opinion about foreign countries. People see foreign countries from a
perspective that global journalists choose.
The
role of the media in image building of Pakistan
in the context of the new millennium. I have provided some preliminary
necessary points to consider for the media in building the image, but it
is an area that certainly deserves further research.
No one is
perfect in this world and so is the media, rather I would say there is
still a lot of scope for improvement by which media can raise upto the
aspirations of the people for which it is meant. We cannot think of a
democracy without active and neutral media. Media is like a watchdog in a
democracy that keeps government active. From being just an informer it has
become an integral part of our daily lives. With the passage of time it
has become a more matured and a more responsible entity. The present media
revolution has helped people in making an informed decisions and this has
led to beginning of a new era in a democracy.
Government media and
the private sector should remember that managing image building is by any
standards a gigantic task, demanding a combination of vision, creativity
and effort. This case is not a matter of choice but necessity.
Pakistan and the
Pakistani media must work in maintaining and cultivating the good name.
The media must either learn to value or cherish Pakistan's
precious assets to employ for international reputation; or find that every
action they perform may help to boost the national image of Pakistan in
the new millennium.
The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to
appear.
(Socrates)
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