Rebirth of audio craze
ISLAMABAD — News blackout in Pakistan after the imposition of emergency puts common people on the forgotten track of listening to radio, particularly foreign Urdu broadcasts to appease their appetite of knowing facts soon after something has happened.
Pakistan had a long tradition of listening to radio before the promotion of private TV channels. This custom always remained popular in rural Pakistan, as the lack of electricity and feeble network of newspaper distribution left peasants with no other option. BBC & VOA Urdu is considered a reliable source of getting information.
“ Ye BBC London hai”, sounded radio, and all other human voices became silent. It was a group of men above 40, circling around the radio set for listening to updates through impartial source. It was 8.30 p.m and anxious citizens had to wait long hours to satisfy their hunger for truth.
When Pakistani independent news channels were blocked from giving news the truth was transmitted via web. Many people could not enjoy the facility therefore, they turned towards an old source of instant information, the radio.
“The absence of independent Pakistani news channels compels us to listen to BBC Urdu to quench our thirst for facts”, said Abdul Latif, a retired government officer adding that those gagging tactics could not bar people from knowing facts.
BBC Urdu on listeners growing interest has prolonged the time of its early morning news bulletin from half-hour to one hour. “ It is wrong on governments part to think that by banning private TV channels people are deprived from truth rather these restrictive tactics simply earn a bad name for the country”, argued Najam, a dweller of G 11/1.
Imtiaz Ahmad, a resident of I 8/3 told TheNation, “ I get up early in the morning because I cannot miss BBC Urdu 6.30am live broadcast and I go to the bed after listening to 10.30pm live broadcast from the same station”.
Many people to satisfy their news hunger employ their mobile phones with the facility of a radio. Hassan Zia, a merchant of Melody used to listen to radio on his mobile but nowadays he is disturbed and said, “ The government also halted broadcast of FM stations that irks me a lot. I try to tune to foreign Urdu stations to listen to news updates”.
Like satellite dish the sale of radio has jumped. “ Forbidden fruit is sweetest. That is why with the curbs on media, the curiosity of people to know has mounted and when all this is happening amidst political mayhem, the urge to know the truth will be enormous”, said a journalist.
Source: The Nation
Date:11/16/2007
” 
” 
” 
” 
” 
