Various forms of media have influenced our society. These presentations do not imitate real life. Today's media do not project the demands of daily life and responsible living. Our youths thereby have a superficial and inaccurate perception of reality.
The influence of the media is especially strong when immoral behaviour seems effective and socially desirable. In this process we have let into our homes through our television screens what we would never let in through our front door.
Media reflected life pointing towards a certain direction, but the decision to follow it was always taken by the viewers. It is, therefore, the responsibility of parents and responsible adults to protect youths from excessive exposure to electronic media.
The television channels have failed to portray our social, cultural and religious values. The values of dominant civilisations always spread in the world like the religion of the rulers.
The PTV has lost its status of family channel following the launching of a number of private channels. The private channels were promoting a new culture, as the multinational companies, controlling a major chunk of the television publicity budget, wanted opening of society to facilitate marketing of their products.
Certain things being promoted by the private channels for their commercial interests are in conflict with social values. The official TV channel has been exposing social evils but the private channels had started promoting glamour instead. The PTV was sticking to the social values despite its weaknesses but the new channels have abandoned all values for the promotion of their commercial interests.
Exposure of excesses committed against women by the PTV has brought about a positive change in the minds of the people regarding problems being faced by them but the private channels have not only left them alone but was degrading them as well.
The television has not played its role for prevention of the increasing violence against women because of its market-oriented policy. It is treating women as a commodity and marketing them. The PTV management has also joined the race forgetting that it is a public broadcast system and has to act as a defender of social values. The duty to safeguard the social values now rested on civil society.
The standard of PTV broadcasts has deteriorated despite the availability of state-of-the-art equipment and studio facilities because the seniors believing in producing their own programmes have left it. Those who have succeeded them are purchasing plays from the market. They broadcast whichever play they could procure at a cheaper price.
The media is portraying a new culture by influencing the society with its glamour. The dresses and ornaments worn by female artistes impressed women more than the plot of plays. A new code of ethics is necessary to prevent the media managers imitating foreign channels from violating cultural values.
The official electronic media required to formulate a proper marketing strategy. The cable television has only 20 percent share in the market and terrestrial television controlled the remaining 80 percent.
The official TV channel has not said goodbye to religious and social values like the private channels but has failed to compete with the channels despite being the parent organisation in Pakistan because those responsible for running it attended more to the elevation of their grades than grooming new talent to succeed them.
Television could serve as a powerful medium of education but most of the private channels are not ready to meet their social obligations and are operating for the sole purpose of earning money.
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