TV THOUGHTS: Are TV channels overdoing their passion for women's themes?

24 Jul, 2004

I must confess that I feel very handicapped when I watch the TV channel KTN, and the reason is obvious in a way. It is a channel in the Sindhi language, and not knowing the language is one of the failures that I live with. So when I switch to the KTN I am compelled to realise my inadequacy vis-a-vis the Sindhi language, which of course drives me to the many dimensions there are to be language theme in this society. Disturbing dimensions too.
I am happy there is a TV channel in Sindhi, and even when I do not understand the language fully, I am able to appreciate the mood and the meaning of what is being said. Even the pictures tell a story. And from whatever I have seen of KTN let me underline in emphatic terms that it is a promising channel, and looks thematically strong. IT is enabling many of us to have a better idea of the province that we live in. After all is said and done ,there is a Sindh point of view on all issues, as indeed there are other regional and federal opinions, contentions, in the rich diversity that Pakistan has always had.
I have been wanting to focus on KTN for a long time, and can recall somewhat fondly the day when I suddenly saw the KTN channel, one fine evening, That was perhaps last year .I am happy to observe that its transmission time has improved and increased, so has the overall technical quality. Of course, the channel is understandably in competition with others, it is on the cable, and I am glad that my cable operator has this channel going. Of course, there are the usual problems that subscribers to the cable face, and all channels are subject to poor quality transmission from time to time.
Before I proceed further with an excellent panel discussion that I saw on KTN last week(also repeat telecast )let me tell you that on the point of poor quality of transmission by cable operators there is not much reason for optimism when it comes to expect the Pemra (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) or other official platforms to provide solutions and sustain them. Things will happen in their own time. I am amused at times to see the way in which citizens and in particular demanding subscribers want the Pemra to sort out all issues that relate to cable TV operators, including what is regarded as indecent and obscene. It is eventually society that has to take charge, and laws alone don't ensure ethics. It is unfair to even expect Pemra to be a custodian of morals in society. Pakistani society is changing swiftly, and the satellite TV context is quickening the pace. I have in mind the fact that on numerous occasions I have seen on TV, Indian and western channels scenes, and dialogues that are impossible to watch with an average Pakistani family. They are embarrassing for the latitude they have, in terms of values and vision, and it reflects the challenge that Pakistani society and TV channels will have to grapple with in the days ahead. This is a theme that I have touched upon before and will return to, For the least that one can do is to atleast "monitor" the scene, the content, the themes.
I saw a very thought provoking panel discussion on this KTN channel on 15th July (Thursday evening) in a current affairs programme called To the Point,(in English) The two panelists were the well known Ilahi Baksh Soomro, a former Speaker of the National Assembly, and Kamal Azfar, a former Sindh Governor and earlier a provincial finance minister too. The interviewer was Imran Hussain. Of course one can wonder why the interview was not in Urdu or Sindhi, and for both there would be arguments in favour or against. English meant that it was directed at a different audience - those who are familiar with the language, Pakistanis and foreigners.
There were many themes in the discussion that took place, and reflecting the name of the programme, it was very much to the point. It was a candid expression of views, argued with clarity and feeling both. One of the themes that surfaced was about the point whether the province of Sindh needed a "lobbyist" to present its case Islamabad. It was very significant to see the manner in which the two distinguished participants spoke on this point, and there was an unstated implication that this reflected the "distance" or the "gulf" between the province and the Centre. Soomro added that the concept of lobbyist was an American one, and indicated an inter state context..
As one watched the programme what came through strongly was the feeling that Sindh as a province does have a sense of ":deprivation" and other issues that were mentioned, and argued with vehemence, related to water, and the NFC award, the Kalabagh Dam and the point being underlined by implication was that the Sindh dimension got overlooked, underplayed. The sindh province as indeed the NWFP have rejected the Kalabagh Dam, and Mr Soomro explained how this proposed dam would be detrimental to the country and its long term interests.
As in other instances there were two other programmes that evening that I switched on to on the Geo and the ARY one channels. One was Views on News by Dr Shahid Masood and the other was Aaj Kamran Khan Key Sath. Both these programmes in about the same time zone had Lt Gen (r)Hamid Gul, a former ISI chief being interviewed, and expressing his views on issues related to the visit of the US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to Pakistan, and India before that. It is pertinent to mention here that the former ISI chief is one of those persons who is frequently interviewed by the media on various geopolitical and national themes ,and he has very definete views that he expresses without hesitation. It is the expression of views by people like him that reflect the fact that the media, particularly the electronic media, has begun to take stands, for which relevant opinion groups in the country exist. Richard Armitage had spoken in India on the subject of terrorists still believed to be, by him, to be hiding in Pakistan, and on this Masood Khan of the Foreign Office(another gentleman who speaks almost daily on TV reflecting the changing nature of the geopolitical situation).
Joined the issue with time. I watch the KTN channel for various durations ,and in addition to regular news bulletins, which (look impressive and professional), there are music programmes, and current affairs programmes. In one such news bulletin, or was it after on Tuesday night there was a detailed film report, with interviews of relevant people, on how a Darul Aman (home for shelterless women) was apparently working. It was in Sindhi and Urdu languages and reflected the disappointing way in which this very sensitive, and vital institution was functioning. Almost like being malfunctional, and contrary to the very values and objectives for which it had come into existence. I was appalled to hear one of the functionaries of this Darul Aman reveal that the annual budget of the Darul Aman was Rs10,000.If that is true it needs to be looked into. Perhaps the place runs on private sector and society is helping it out, but if this is the way it is working, and being presented then donors and potential donors would rethink. It was sad to see the way women were living there, and the kind of problems being faced by the management. It was also sad to see that there were many "charges " levelled against the head of the Darul Aman, who in turn had a list of complaints about the women residing there, and the shortage of staff and infrastructure being faced. A programme like this enables us to see or glimpse the particular problems being experienced by the interior of Sindh. That evening there was also a commercial programme in which a particular product was being promoted but in a manner that brought out the attitudes and opinions of working women and housewives on a variety of themes, ranging from the personal to the domestic. And this KTN programme also used both Sindhi and Urdu languages. And the young confident compare reflected the efforts that the channel is making to compete with the rest on the satellite.

****************

I am reminded of the woman theme which all Pakistani channels pick up, at time giving one the impression that there are some stock stereotyped themes that the planners in these channels keep in reserve. This week with the Karo Kari issue being discussed in the National Assembly, this theme was once again focused upon, and even PTV's news bulletins had background material reflecting the way in which women were being humiliated, and made to suffer hell in a variety of ways in this society. I would imagine that even Indian channels are banking on this theme as it ensures audiences. Women are indeed a target audience for all channels, especially when they begin describing themselves as family channels, or seeking to be that. Which reminds me that in addition to the entertainment, health and education themes, or those that relate to dowry and marriage (Shaadi On Line from Geo, and there is another one like this from ARY. Will PTV follow suit?) there are regular kitchen and food related ,shows that have large viewing. And sometimes there are TV and film stars brought into the glamorous unrealistic kitchens. But there is a make believe dimension that TV has.
On the woman theme I would like to mention a women's issues programme that was telecast by ARY on Tuesday night and was compared by Nuzhat Shah. The participants were journalist and social worker Shahnaz Ahad, fashion designer Aneeka Effendi, and TV artist Jamshed Ansari. I do not know what Jamshed was doing there and it reminded me of the cooking programmes that I have seen him in. The discussion in this programme centred around fashion and women, and whether women in this society could afford the expensive clothes that were being marketed and promoted by a small section of society. What Shahnaz Ahad was arguing was: how could the majority of the women afford the fashionable clothes that were being carefully pushed into the market? The fashion designer kept arguing that those who cannot buy should not . That was the end of the matter?
I began with the Sindhi channel KTN, and wish to end with a focus on a news report which says that AVT Khyber, Pakistan's first Pashtu satellite television channel began its test transmission last week, and that this is the first TV channel which will air its transmission through the Asia Sat satellite and will be beamed into Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Middle East and several other countries The focus will be on Pashtun Society and culture, it was stated at the launch of this channel. The TV channel is bound to evoke very strong interest the world over. Which reminds me that during the week there was a very informative programme on CNN on the Arab media explosion. And the emphasis was on television, and its enlarged role, and status, and impact.

Read Comments