Since coming out of the bottle, the media genie has continued its non-stop attacks. It got its freedom during the times of President Pervez Musharraf. Then the genie looked around and found its favourite prey, Musharraf himself. To its delight, the last years of Musharraf also provided opportunities to the media genie to sharpen its skills. Fair or unfair, the criticism continued unabashed. Most of Musharrafs allies had already pocketed the advantages they possibly could have obtained from him and were hardly motivated to take the trouble of putting up a defence. These allies either kept quiet or jumped to board the anti-Musharraf bandwagon. The psyche of the populace was pushed to want a change and they got it. Musharraf said Khuda Hafiz and let the new managers perform the promised miracles. Some media powers, which use the media for their own goals, felt confident that they can do it.
There has been a lot to talk about since then: the Murree Accord, restoration of the chief justice, 18th Amendment, drone attacks, Kerry-Lugar Bill, even Shoaib and Sania. In fact, the crazy coverage of the event mentioned last indicated that subjects for the media are running out and the TV channels were racing to find some juicy and sensational material. They looked for Asif and Veena, Waseem and Sushmita and so on. One channel seriously planned a show on politics as a joke. This may have been a chance programming, but in fact the politics of the so-called democracy was becoming a joke. Nothing seemed to be going right. The media started to take note of it. A defence brigade was promptly sent out by the leading political party. It was like fielding a cricket team. The opener was Sherry Rehman who came with style, tried, found the job difficult and gracefully retired hurt. The one down, and two down ladies did not last long either. Then entered a more confident Fauzia Wahab. She took a good stand, almost tireless. But the political situation was getting so bad and peoples problems were so real that she was getting bogged down. Strangely, she defended the purchase of tyres worth a million for the Speaker National Assembly by saying, Do you want our Speaker to be moving in a Suzuki? Many people were aghast at this statement from a person who is from a party claiming to represent the poor masses. Then the prime minister forbade the use of airconditioners by staff under grade 20. Such actions show a highbrow, elitist and feudal mindset. Maybe the ambience of the capitol has done it. However, by her statement, Fauzia Wahab was hit wicket. The middle order of defence has been steady. The bold, well-prepared and aggressive Senator Faisal Abidi, and composed Mr Qamaruz Zaman Kaira have been doing well. But the media attack armed with the NRO, Swiss cases, PMs bloomers, rental power scandal, BBs murder investigation inadequacies, and the rising cost of existence have exhausted these defenders, and the doubtful support of Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan as a tail-ender may not be of much help. Sooner or later, the media can get them. The innings may close.
As an optimist, I see a sign of hope in the conduct of the media anchorpersons and really wish that the owners of the media empires would back them up. The ground realities in the microanalysis give a shocking picture of the state of affairs between now and three years ago.
The media anchorpersons seem to have recovered from the euphoria of democracy and started looking at the needs of the people. Perhaps there is a realisation that all systems, concepts, including democracy, are, after all, intended for the betterment of the people of a country. The governance, if it fails to deliver the benefits to the populace, will be considered a failure whichever route it may have come through. Also, if the preferred routes are not workable, then alternate routes will be sought by the people. This is where the danger zone is. Anything can be expected, from a coup dtat to a mass uprising. Most of our anchorpersons are now asking the leaders of the present democracy, including its friendly opposition, for the solutions to unaffordably high price of eatables, lack of supply of electric power, law and order issues, unemployment, inflation and a host of other problems. They are beginning to compare. In three years, the atta price has increased from Rs 13 per kg to Rs 31, sugar 21 to 70, milk 32 to 46, a motorbike 32,000 to 45,000, the dollar has risen from Rs 60 to 86, GST 11 percent to 16 percent and so on. And the difference is widening. To top it all, there is the power crisis hurting our industry, trade, education, and homes. Is it some sort of revenge? Do short terms benefit and run policy? Was this the meaning of democracy is the best revenge? What is the reality of power supply sources? It is said that there is a current potential of 19,000 MW power generation, which may be effectively 15,000 MW, still sufficient for the national requirements. Is Barre Mian Sharif only paying Rs 5,000 income tax? (If so, the governor Punjab may be right in suggesting the Benazir Income Support Programme for him.) Many questions need answers. There needs to be an end to falsehood, incompetence and corruption. There is something wrong somewhere, or maybe even everywhere.
The media has now started looking at the ground realities. Anchorpersons are beginning to re-evaluate the Musharraf regime and overcome the no no syndrome. They are willing to consider giving the devil his due. This is a sign of maturity and deep down patriotism above short-term gains. Such anchorpersons are the real hope for the future of the media and governance of the country. The reality is that media matters; it can help the nation to correct its perceptions, and if necessary, bring change. Freedom and the consequent responsibility are a package. These are to be acted upon simultaneously; otherwise the package is lost, and nobody wants that to happen.
Naeem Tahir is a culture and media management specialist, a researcher, author, director and actor. He can be reached at [email protected]
