Programmed or not, implicit or explicit, the news channels are presenting a macro and a micro view of Pakistan - day after day. Almost hourly. There is not only the news story or the breaking news, or the news of the day, event-wise or statement-based, but there is the talk show, anchor driven and shaped about the kind of Pakistan that exists, and the kind of Pakistan that this country is being turned into.
With the day's news story unwinding - which may be followed up or not - there is a certain macro view that is forever being underlined. Islamicstate? Democracy in danger? Pakistan at crossroads? Failed state or failing? What was the basis of the state that came into being in 1947? Dictatorship and the armed forces and the way in which corruption has been in the nation's fabric since day one. Much of the macro and micro views also depend on the news channel and its leanings, its mission statement, as it were. Besides the economics of the channel there is a also a political statement that is being made. That ought to be made. And why not? Political power has its own charming intoxication!
One assumes that this discussion, debate, dissent, would have been going on even there had been no electronic media in the country. But the news and current affairs TV channels have evidently fuelled the momentum of it all, and raised the political temperatures as it were.
In a way every evening, there is a countrywide debate, agitated, emotional, confusing, that takes place, and until TV viewers have gone to bed dialogues and conversations about Pakistan continue. Pakistan of that specific day, and Pakistan that lies ahead. Sometimes the past is brought into focus, sometimes it is overlooked, or if there is any reference, it is blurred. It all depends on the participants and the anchors, their backgrounds, their prejudices, their age groups, and so on. Just a thought about TV channels - have they replaced the coffee-houses and tea shops in a way? Just a thought.
One recurring theme that is being discussed on the talk shows these days is about a possible political, governmental change that is around the corner. That the present government is not delivering and that the common man is both angry and restless. And that the powers that be, here and abroad, are weighing their options.
One talk show on ARY News. Dr Shahid Masood with retired AVM Shahzad Chaudhry, Retired Brigadier A R Siddiqui, Ikram Sehgal, a defence analyst and another ex-military officer, were discussing this subject. And the prevailing conditions were being described as "organised chaos" by Ikram Sehgal "functional anarchy" by Brigadier Siddiqui, which could lead to a grand anarchy. And that there was a "method in the madness" around, according to AVM Chaudhry.
Eidul Fitr Eidul Fitr 2010 has come and gone and the simple to solemn programme content of the TV channels was shaped largely by the Floods 2010 that whose devastating impact was deeply saddening. There were live reports of how Eid was being celebrated in the relief camps, and there were repeated accounts of how the flood-affected areas were in the midst of the havoc. There was much to mourn and there was much to contemplate.
What kind of future lies ahead, and what will be the dreaded political and sociological fallout of all this? This was a part of the TV focus on Eid and the floods. On the aggregate it seemed that the channels were able to do a reasonable job, though there were some occasions when the intended festivity was out of place.
I would like to mention in particular a very touching report that came from Anwar Hashmi in Lahore on Aaj News, which was based on the Nayyaya Noor's rendering of "Kabhi Hum Khoobsurat Thay." This was on Eid day, and I would imagine it was repeated subsequently. With the sad song in the background, there were images of the floods, and the poverty and the distress of the affected people. In particular, there was stress on children, and close-ups as well. It reflected, the tragedy eloquently, and poignantly.
Mentioning children makes it imperative for one to underline that they are a very popular theme with TV channels. Whether it is to highlight the plight of street children in Pakistani society or whether it is to make them a means of promoting sales or telling stories children are very visible as a category on the channels. Children audience is another point that is obvious.
This Eid there were two programmes on different channels that separately had children with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif - both were interesting, but one did wonder whether Pakistani children are interested in such programmes. Would they rather not watch programmes in which they are interacting with individuals who are known for their non-political, entertaining roles? Just a thought.
Musharraf 's desires In a way there are these media highs and lows about the focus on former dictator Pervez Musharraf, which keep surfacing, and the way in which he is plotting and planning his supposed return has much to do with it. The question is whether he will return, and when could that be? What is that date? Give us a date? This was amongst the many hard hitting points that Sassi Palejo, a young PPP MPA, Sindh, and also a minister, stressed in a live talk show ("11th Hour" on ARY News) on Tuesday night The anchor person was that fluent, mild mannered Wasim Badami whose other participant was Sher Afgan Niazi, a minister in the Musharraf days and an ardent supporter of the former President.
His support to the former military ruler was stubborn, but Sassi Palejo was determined to ensure that that case against Musharraf was presented forcefully, and comprehensively. But she repeatedly asked the veteran Niazi what was the date of the dictator's return. To that there was no convincing answer, as far as viewers were concerned. In fact there is a very strong opinion that Musharraf cannot afford to return, unless he is able to find support and strength from the army and the establishment.
There have been several talk shows on the possible return of Musharraf theme, and the former general was also seen in a live telethon collecting funds for the flood affected people, on the Dunya news channel. Why was it this particular channel is a question that did come to mind as one watched the proceedings, in which a former TV anchor of ARY News P.J Mir was there, lend in assistance to the former President.
His leaning for Musharraf seemed so obvious even when he did that regular TV programme. Pervez Musharraf's body language appeared off colour, if not rather listless and tired? Nowhere was visible that overconfident aggressive exterior that viewers routinely witnessed on TV screens.
That telethon, for four hours (?) reportedly brought in Rs 26 crores (or was it more said reports later on). The donations were announced by anchor persons in Lahore and London. There were several anti-Musharraf phone calls also, but these were checked promptly by P.J Mir, who seemed prepared for them. The camera did not show the expression on Pervez Musharraf's face!
That telethon, which was referred to in many cynical ways in various talk shows recently, was also mentioned by Sher Afgan Niazi - which was virtually ridiculed by Sassi Palejo. She was also very bitter when Niazi compared the Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Pervez Musharraf and said, "How dare you compare the two" Earlier, that evening on another talk show (Off the Record on ARY News with Kashif Abbasi) retired Major General Rashid Qureshi, who is one of the spokesmen for Musharraf had said that after the death of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Pervez Musharraf was the only real leader that the country had got.
Many points relating to the possible return of Musharraf were raised in this programme. Who will welcome him? How many will welcome him? Will it be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as has been said by the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani? What will be the status of the many allegations that the former President faces? Treason? Benazir Bhutto's assassination, Akbar Bugti's murder, Lal Masjid killings, imposition of martial law and violation of the constitution. etc? Wasim Badami listed all these and Niazi, and earlier on Rashid Qureshi, believed that Pervez Musharraf would face all these charges.
Sassi Palejo also had another dimension: that Pervez Musharraf had let down the army and that he had hurt the institution's image and status in the eyes of Pakistanis, and the world, with the way in which he had used it for his own ends. She reminded that Benazir Bhutto had also been advised not to come and that there was a threat to her life. She was brave and courageous, and she came. Why does not Musharraf do the same? She asked.
Talk shows can be very absorbing, and they mirror the socio political change that is swiftly transforming society, and its political content and values. This was one such show. What is the transcript of such talk shows was available in the print media or in the DVD format? Political programmes need to be marketed? Recording history. - in a way .It is worth pondering.
The return of Musharraf and whether it can really happen, was examined on several shows, including Wednesday evening when at least two talk shows or more were discussing the theme. Can a former dictator return to power once he has been ousted was a point that was being raised, while there was considerable emphasis that he in fact needs to be prosecuted for his unconstitutional, illegal actions. In yet another programme PML-N's Siddiqul Farooq was listing all the property that Pervez Musharraf had in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Bahawalpur - and Barrister Saif was explaining the former President's point of view once again. He is one of the persons repeatedly standing up for Musharraf on the channels.
While some shows were focusing on the floods theme and the human stories of unhappiness and anger were coming out from there, there were others looking at the provocative story of the rich parliamentarians in a poor society. This was the very revealing but incomplete story that came from the PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency). Based on what the MNAs had revealed about themselves, their assets had increased three-fold in seven years (2002-2009). This contrasts dramatically against the poverty and price rise that has taken place in the country.
There are so many talk shows that focus on the predicament that Pakistan is in and one such show was looking at the SOP (standing operating procedure) that is being amended to meet the changing scenario in Islamabad. And how Rawalpindi is looking at the different options. The candour and forthrightness of such talk shows is glaring. This was in yet another Dr Shahid Masood's show on Wednesday night in which the participants were lawyer Akram Shaikh, Ahmed Bilal Sufi and Dr Farukh Saleem.
A general consensus was that the sooner the change takes place in the country the better will it for the people the people. Delays would lead or could lead to irreparable loss to the country, it was concluded. Here too Musharraf was mentioned in the light of what he has been saying and in one talk show it was Senator Faisal Raza Abidi who felt that the former President would be coming in November this year , and that the PPP jiyalas were waiting to "receive" him. He said that the former President had begun to feel a kind of alienation in the West.
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