Introduction:
In today’s world Mass Media is considered as a tool to educate, inform, and also
to change the perspective and thought pattern behavior of the society. Media
effects are changes in knowledge, attitude, or behavior that result from
exposure to the mass media. In modern societies, media can change the thoughts,
behaviors, attitudes and social integrations. Mass media includes: Newspapers,
Magazines, Radio, and Television. TV is now becoming essential part of our
lives, it effects our mind and also built a public opinion. Television is
disseminating the information just like “fire in jungle”. Television occupied
the baggiest area in our lives i.e. residence areas, workplaces, eating places
as well (Spingel, 1992). Television plays an important role to change the
ideology of public. Television helps to protect the democracy and develops the
political awareness in the public. As the television is an audio and video tool
of mass communication so, it performs this duty perfectly.
Rationale to Study:
Current Affair shows are broadcast in primetime on every news channel. There are
some news programs which are broadcast in other times too. The general viewers
get a remarkable awareness by the current affairs programs, political discussion
and live coverage about different issues on the television. In the past the
sources of information and coverage were limited so the people were unaware
about their surroundings. Even the masses were unaware about the killings,
violation of human rights and their exploitation by the ruling class. Current
Affair Programs have incredible effect on governmental issues, social qualities,
ways of life of individuals, relationship of masses and remote strategy.
In the news and Current Affair programs the media provides an effectual coverage
about the issues which enable the media user to understand the issues and demand
their rights from the governments.
Some specific approaches used in the political shows which are:
• Giving Information: Introduction, History, Past Incidents on the issues
• Creating hypes on different issues
• Creating controversy on different topics
In Pakistan there are dozens of private news channel running, as we know that TV
is the dominant medium. PTV is the public sector and it remains the only free
terrestrial TV network in the country, with channels offering news,
entertainment, regional language programming, programming for Pakistanis abroad
and the AJK-TV channel that broadcasts in the Kashmiri language for the people
of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
But here I discuss that How private news channel’s current affair shows such as;
Naya Pakistan, Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada ky Sath, Bolta Pakistan, Off the Record,
11th hour with Waseem Badami etc are affecting public perceptions or views about
different issues or topics. Do these political shows illustrate any
answers/solutions in the end of the shows about any issue/topic?
Methodology:
The methodology I use to find out the answer through Qualitative research.
To collect data I studied different research journals and Articles. I also
conduct semi-structured interviews (Email interview) to different off-screen
Journalists and obtain public opinion as well.
Findings:
According to the different articles and research journals, Media is a key to
educate, to inform and to entertain the public. While, TV is the most useful
medium to change the mindset of the viewers as well as Radio too. On TV, news
and current affair programs are changing perception, viewpoint and behavior of
public. Current affair shows are varying public’s political thinking. According
to research journal (Ali, Aleena, Hassan 2013), Electronic media outlets are
informing educated Youth and are serving as a family arm in Pakistani society
because people consume entertainment, education and information.
The role of media is gaining importance every day. It is quickly transforming
itself and in turn becoming an agent of transforming the world. Now Media is
helping democracies and promoting globalization, according to Rameez Ahmed
research.
Media is a major source of information about politics. Finally it is concluded
that there is a major role of talk shows upon youth in creating awareness about
politics, (Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2014).
When I talked to off screen journalists, some of them said that these shows up
to an extent change our thinking. We know that media has the power to change and
completely divert viewers mindset, but we also find examples where current
affairs shows do not change viewer thinking, example; During Local body
Elections, media was giving hype to Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and
Jammat-e-Islami (JI) alliance and Karachi Operation but results were totally
different, Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) won the elections as majority, another
example; from 2013 till present current affairs shows present PTI as the largest
street power. However, they have been failing to transform this into tangible
votes.
According to Muhammad Bilal Siddique an Assistant Producer at Capital TV, now
current affair shows are helping the viewer to make an opinion that which
political party is on the right path and which is on wrong way. Eg: Nandipur
Power Scam, Model town incident, Orange line train etc. If these issues were not
discussed in current affairs programs then people will not know about the actual
scenario, it will never change public perspective.
Former News Producer at Saach.tv (Pakistan’s first web TV) said that Current
Affairs shows are definitely changing or affecting public’s political efficacy.
E.g; from 2009 to 2013, majority of the current affairs shows have made public
believe that PPP is a bunch of corrupt crooks. They lost the general elections
of 2013.
According to a Research student of Lahore, Political shows have turned into a
circus, so media is not affecting public’s political efficacy.
While talking to an overseas Pakistani, he responded that current affair shows
in Pakistan do change political efficacy of Pakistani viewers. In-fact, not only
Pakistanis, but also people around the globe who take keen interest in political
and social affairs of Pakistan.
However, sometimes, Pakistani media fails to maintain certain standards of their
current affair programs, because of the factors like unexperienced hosts, lack
of research (on current issues), sometimes calling the guests who don't hold a
vision while discussing their point of views on current affairs. As a result,
people do get confused or misguided.
But still, irrespective of all the odds, these programs definitely play a key
role in changing the mindset, thoughts, and way of thinking of their viewers
with respect to political sciences, political ethics, political parties and
about different politicians of Pakistan.
Discussion and Conclusion:
After studying the collected data, Pakistani media especially news and political
shows credibility has become a question mark among society. Media is said to be
free when the media organizations enjoy freedom to broadcast information without
facing any barriers from the government or any other powerful actors of the
society. But the unprecedented freedom of media has, as well, harmed the
society. First of all; Media has the power to change and completely divert
audience mindset and to some extent change public perspective too.
Secondly, there are some instances where media outlets spread disinformation and
create confusion among the masses through news and current affairs shows. The
'informing people' function of media is not complete until it guarantees true
and unbiased information. Absence of a consolidated accountability system has
let certain elements in media to exploit feelings of the audiences just to get
some 'rating'. Nevertheless, this disinformation damages significant elements of
society. For example, some segments in Pakistani media often resorted to create
false impression about the government, even they started predicting its
departure. These rumors forced the investors keep at bay which harmed the
country's economy. But still some shows are providing information about
different topics to their viewers and helping them to understand the difference
between right and wrong. Pakistani media whether electronic or print media
should play their role to change the public’s perceptions and behaviors towards
different issues/topics.