TV Thoughts: ‘I alone insisted the media be given freedom’, President General Musharraf; Dawn News TV’s test run
By Nusrat Nasrullah
WEEKEND MAGAZINE (June 02 2007): President General Pervez Musharraf does speak with what one may describe as an “intermittent regularity” on media situation in Pakistan, and frankly expresses his opinions on what he expects the electronic and print media in the country ought to be doing.
And he has done this again on 30th May while addressing the officers at the Jhelum Garrison. One of the points that he has stressed on this occasion has been that “spreading despondency and negativism would adversely impact the nation as a whole”.
An APP story from Jhelum has said that the President has “urged the media not to politicise a purely judicial and legal matter and abide by the code of conduct, rules and the regulations approved by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and that it should play a positive role in projecting national issues.”
The President said the media in Pakistan has been enjoying unprecedented freedom and declared that the government has no intention of imposing any curbs on the free flow of information. But he underlined the need for responsible journalism and avoiding exaggeration in reporting the judicial issue of reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
President Musharraf said, according to APP, that there were some TV channels which “are not abiding by the code of conduct set by the Pemra” while most TV channels in the private sector have shown responsibility in reporting issues of national importance.
It is significant that he took notice of the content of TV channels, and observed that there was imbalance in the reporting and presentation of talk shows by some channels, which amounted to creating pressures on the judiciary. He reiterated that the government would accept any decision of the Supreme Court.
President Musharraf said the issue of the reference was subjudice and, the media therefore, “must avoid holding discussions and talk shows on the matter and use of inappropriate language and derogatory remarks.”
He claimed that “a section of the media has been causing despondency, distortion, and ambiguity in the minds of the people and the achievements of the government are being submerged by the propaganda of the vested interest aimed at personal and political gains” he added that the media was free to criticise any action of the government but emphasised that their actions must not demoralise the nation. The President urged the media to uphold the honour and dignity of the country and the nation while reporting events of national importance.
Referring to the speeches made and slogans raised at seminar held at the Supreme Court Auditorium on last Saturday (which was also telecast live by some private TV channels) he underlined that they “amounted to an assault on the superior court. He added on this particular point that the “language used at the seminar was tantamount to humiliating the armed forces and the judiciary.”
He referred to “some criticism about the armed forces in the matters of governance “and said that the armed forces were residing in barracks and described the aspersions as “very unfortunate”. He said the armed forces were fully focused on professional preparedness and training to meet any external and internal threats.
President Musharraf referred to the media in the United States, which is regarded as the freest across the globe, and said the media there adheres to journalistic norms by not showing bodies of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan with a view to raise the morale of the American soldiers and people. But on the contrary, the media in Pakistan was showing images of people dying on the streets.
Speaking on the subject of sending the reference against the Chief Justice to the Supreme Judicial Council, he said that this was a state issue, and which was put above “personal relationship” he refuted the “impression” that the Chief Justice was called to the Camp office and said that “he (CJP) had himself requested for an audience with him.”
Then after focusing on the media he spoke of other themes that have also been visible in the TV channels, of late. These include the upcoming general elections, and the Federal Budget. Private TV channels, and the PTV have begun focusing on the next budget with budgets desks and special panel discussions, but somehow the main focus appears to remain on the May 12 theme, and that of the Supreme Court reference – and of course Imran Khan.
On the point of the next general elections, he reiterated assured that these would be “fair, free and transparent” and whichever party secures the majority would form the next government. And referring to the Budget 2007-08, he said the salaries of the government servants would be increased for the fourth time during the tenure of this government. He said the goal was to transfer the economic gains to the people by reducing poverty and creating more jobs.
And he also referred to the subject of extremism, which he said was the only threat that the country faced today. This is yet another theme that is frequently discussed on the channels, and issues like that of Lal Masjid in Islamabad and the Jamia Syeda Hafsa are examples. The President said that there are people who are trying to impose their views on others by force and these are the extremists that are referred to and that they would be “stopped”. He also said that an incident of terrorism in the West could have negative impact on this country. The al Qaeda has been wiped out from the cities in Pakistan, and operates in tiny pockets along Pak-Afghan border.
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And the President was the chief guest at the launch of yet another TV channel in the country – the DawnNews TV’s test transmission held in Karachi on Friday last. This is the country’s first 24-hour English language news channel, and it will be watched with interest how it delivers in days ahead. Right now, it is a test transmission that is being provided.
In his speech, the President spoke on the subject of the country’s mass media in detail and according to Dawn he “rejected the long stated view of the journalist fraternity that the freedom of the press in the country was the result of their long struggle and persistent demand and said that he was not aware of any such demand when he decided to ‘give them freedom’. He was quoted as saying that “I alone had insisted that we must give them freedom so that the media could hold everyone accountable.”
President Musharraf described the media as the first line of defence for the country. But while he assured mediamen of complete support for the freedom of expression, he also warned against the growing trend of sensationalisation and the repeated projection of gory incidents and violence on television was brutalising society. Coming as it does from the Head of State, this warning assumes a deeper significance.
Elaborating the issues of violence on Pakistani TV channels, after giving examples from American TV channels, he spoke of the “trend of repeatedly showing images of blood and killings.” He said that such images were telecast round-the-clock as if they were of an “India-Pakistan cricket match.”
Then he referred to the way in which “religious extremism” was glorified by showing militants in Waziristan or the clerics of Lal Masjid and the manner in which their views were aired which “amounted to the brutalisation of society.”
Talking to a select audience he said the media was creating unnecessary and uncalled for alarm amongst overseas Pakistani and other potential investors. If the media failed to demonstrate what he called a certain level of responsibility in the projection of Pakistan, then it may have a negative impact on the economic and social progress of the country.
A Dawn report on the President’s speech also said that he presented details of a long list of development activities and his government’s achievements, but he regretted that “the media was only interested in projecting negative events”. He said that if the media was to support the government on the issues of extremism and terrorism it “may become extremely easy to solve the problem.”
It was further reported that the chief executive of the Dawn group of newspapers welcomed the chief guest and said that “although the DawnNews channel was being run by a new and much younger team, its philosophy was not going to be any different from that of the Dawn newspaper.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:6/3/2007
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