Darwaish
UPDATE: Nov. 3, 2007: Emergency Declared in Pakistan.
UPDATE: Nov. 4, 2007: Media Gagged. Listen to Geo News here.
In my last post, I mentioned that Electronic Media is under siege and many programs are likely to be banned. But I was not expecting it to happen so soon. Geo News transmission have been completely shut down in most parts of the country and Aaj TVvhas disappeared from my cable at least (WorldCall Cable, Lahore).
I don’t know if Aaj TV has been completely banned or not. It happened while I was watching Dr. Shahid Masood’s Mere Mutabiq. Muslim League (Q)’s own Vice President Kabir Wasti was strongly criticizing General Musharaf, holding him responsible for the judicial crises when suddenly Geo News was shut down. I thought that its a temporary ban and transmission will be back as soon as Dr. Shahid’s program is over but its been several hours now and still no signs of Geo or Aaj coming back on my cable. A friend of mine sent me this SMS from Karachi that Geo News disappeared from most parts of the Sindh around 8 o clock too during Imran Khan’s interview in another program Jawab De.
Geo News website has this to say:
The government has blocked the transmission of the Geo News TV channel across the country due to the reasons best known to them. The viewers calls flooded the Geo office to ask that why the transmission of Geo News TV channel was suddenly suspended when the famous programme, “Meray Mutabik” was going on air.
The calls from the viewers were received from various parts of the country. According to Geo News sources the government has blocked the transmission of the Geo News. Geo transmission was blocked in various parts of Islamabad, Lahore, Hyderabad, Karachi and other areas. The citizens, social and political circles have condemned the ban on transmission of Geo News and they have demanded of the government to immediately lift ban on the transmission of the Geo News and give complete freedom to media in the country.
I am unable to understand why this step has been taken but lets wait and see the official reason which will surely be Afwaje Pakistan ke khilaaf baat ki gaye hai. I suspect the title of Dr. Shahid’s program Idaro Ka Takrao – Fatah Kiski Ho Gi (Clash of Institutions – Who Will be Victorious) must have caused concerns among people sitting in Information Ministry aka Mr. Ghalat Biyani.
Whatever government says but I thought it was a very interesting program and a healthy discussion going on when some wise men decided to shut it down. I hope the ban is lifted soon and government shows some common sense. Like they say in Urdu, Kuch Hosh Ke Nakhun Lo Bhai. Whatever happened to those free media and freedom of press claims :). This is yet another direct attack on freedom of expression and truly a shameful act and should be strongly condemned. I am afraid Dr. Shahid Masood will be in trouble once again for not being afraid, for speaking his mind and saying what is in hearts of millions of ordinary Pakistanis.
hi,dear pakistan is facing very crucial situation,where every common people is in estonishing position because from one aspect our govt totaly lost there position,there is no foreign policy,and govt is going to perform every order of our masters,where our stste sovergnty is totaly dameged and the international laws are violated US attaked on our territory beside to condemed them and go to ICJ,our govt is silent,anternaly state is in very danger due to mushrafs childish policy,judiciary ,media,..
@ Saad: While some of your points have some validity, the only way you can judge when the media has gone too far is when they start feeding their viewers lies, if such a thing occurs then indeed the media has gone too far and ought to be reprimanded. But until then what they are doing is commendable and courageous.
I agree it is also about the ratings many a time but this whole the ‘country’s image’ is such hogwash. That is the kind of reasoning that gave rise to the Patriot Act in America and constantly pushes back people like Naom Chomsky and Edward Said away from the mainstream American media. The kinds of channels that try to promote a positive image of the country are Fox News. The media’s role (just like the Government and the judiciary) is and should be to care about the welfare of the people. Created ‘images’ don’t count. Would you that all news of murder, carnage, rape and injustice be taken out of the news so as to give a nice, clean image of the country to the outside world? That can only happen when the actual image improves, until then the truth needs to be told.
Its not a warped sense of loyalty to the ‘country’ as an entity that should be our concern but a loyalty to the vast majority of people who reside in it.
Of course this is civil disobedience. The nation has risen and the media is just reflecting the mood of people. This is 21st century. The regime may silence the local channels but they cannot silence CNN, BBC and other foreign channels.
It was not the media that killed 40 people in karachi. Even if the local channels had notcovered it, foreign media would have. The image of Pakistan suffers because of this regime not because of our media.
Killing people is a much bigger crime than showing dying people on tv. People of Pakistan are trying to overthrow a mafia of armed goons. They need all the help they can get.
[quote]we are doing is washing our dirty linen in the global eye[/quote]
at least we are washing it ..what should be do? hide it and keep it as it is? dirty and filthy?
There should be a check on media, but at the moment the ban is only because somebody criticized government. That is absolutely unfair.
The ‘other’ Saad again…
Guys your concerns noted, tho my point is at a slight tangent. Musharraf can go milk a goat for all i care, and yes he has been exceptionally dumb in the past 6 odd months. I am more concerned about the fact that the media has unilaterally decided (a facade if there ever was one) that they are the custodians of what is right for the country, not dissimilar to how our cuddly despot came into power.
This is not the media’s war. And please dont for a second believe that even they (media) believe it is. Its a ratings war, Geo and Aaj are winning by being more provocative and controversial.
If i am an indian, a nepalese, a bangladeshi or American, i would be laughing my butt off at the scenes on air. No bones about it, this is civil disobedience in the 21st century on display, if you dislike pakistan, you are going to love whats on Geo…you can watch it with popcorn. It doesnt paint a pretty picture. And it definitely doesnt say that ours is a progressive and democratic nation. Hate to repeat myself but all we are doing is washing our dirty linen in the global eye. Not smart
I am all for a critical media, and yes the American media is no benchmark. However, there is a limit to everything, the media does have boundaries. It is just choosing to ignore them to get the biggest slice of Mobi/nor’s advertising budget (i am a marketer myself and know Geo and its people intimately, its a vendor first and right now its doing all it can to extend the record advertising deals in place)