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The World Press Freedom Day was celebrated last week (May 3). This year’s theme of Unesco’s annual conference marking the day since 1998 revolved around ‘journalism and elections in times of disinformation’. For many countries like Pakistan, however, no-information and muffled-speech is perhaps a bigger problem than disinformation.

Free press matters. It is an essential pillar of democracy through its role in the provision of transparency and accountability, both critical for smooth functioning of a representative form of government. Yet this understanding is lost on certain quarters in Pakistan; time and again over the last many decades, the independence of concerned voices has either been purchased or muffled. The ongoing decade is no different - in Pakistan, and elsewhere in the region. Even elected leaders are no champions of transparency and accountability, as whistle-blower acts and right to information laws remain poorly implemented. The biggest cohorts of champions of free press are journalists themselves. The once romanticised unity amongst media houses has waned over time: in a not too forgettable past a TV channel actually labeled another media house as traitor – and this was on-air.

The society’s perception of media performance is also not encouraging. A January 2019 nationally representative poll by Gallup Pakistan shows that only 34 percent of Pakistanis thought media’s performance in Pakistan was ‘good’ or ‘very good’. This is down from 42 percent in 2012 by the same pollster. And while those sitting on the fence came down from 29 percent to 24 percent, those who had negative views (‘bad’ and ‘very bad’ combined) rose from 15 percent in 2012 to 36 percent.

Normativity aside, these trends beg the question how to develop the market for free press; and more specifically how to increase the demand for transparency and accountability which a free media can then supply. If there was a sufficient demand for transparency and accountability in the society, and more and more people willing to pay for variety of freely expressed opinions and objective news and analyses told without fear or favour, then those trying to suppress the voices would find it at least a little more difficult.

What is it that needs to be done to turn the dynamic around? While the struggle to free the press from the traditional chains must continue, the chains imposed by a thin market also need to be unshackled. To that end, the various print and media associations need to be strengthened first; the stakeholders must be on the same page to find strength in numbers.

The second phase is market development, especially aimed towards increasing a demand for transparency and accountability. This is not going to be one-year game; it’s a battle that lasts decades. Just ask packaged milk industry. This will entail consistent efforts and investments in increasing the awareness and appreciation of the importance of a free media in wider sections of the society. It is equally important to tap the untapped segment to increase the size of audience across various forms of media. This will include focusing media coverage on youth affairs, as well as increasing coverage aimed to bridging the gap between provincial governments and the citizens. (See also Role of media in curbing corruption, September 28, 2018).

One final thought: Unesco’s annual conferences on World Press Freedom Day has had a variety of themes since 1998; from disinformation to human rights, conflict and safety journalists. But the development of media market and increasing the demand for transparency and accountability has not been the core of its annual conferences. Passionate discussion on the value of free press is one thing; the hard and changing reality of business of media is another.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019

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