Do we backbite more about people in parties or discuss how someone has transformed into a better person? Are we more curious about finding whether someone has gone bankrupt or whether someone witnessed an increase in sales last month? We see two news stories when we glance at the paper in the morning. One of the headlines reads “two Christians killed in target killing” and the other reads “0.6% growth in GDP”. Which one becomes our choice to be read first?
Psychology clearly explains that we the human beings are more interested in what troublesome incidents are occurring in people’s lives rather than what positive incidents are shaping them. It also shows that we shun diversity and see differences more than the similarities that exist between us.
Every business opens up to make profits and like seeing constant increments in figures on their balance sheets. Same is the case with media. Considering how businesses are becoming more customer centered now to make profits, how can we expect media channels and newspapers to show positive news when a clear insight into human behavior reveals that such an approach will not work in any circumstances whatsoever?
Forget ethics. If we take up a business like perspective on this issue, it would not be wrong to say that media channels are operating on the demand of their customers which are us, the common people. Businesses run on the mere principle of creating profits, not just in the short run but also in the long run for their sustainability. Why are media channels always subjected to mockery by everyone? Just because their practices are so transparent and in front of our eyes? What about the other organizations that are huge and indulge into practices that pose greater threats to the survival of human beings? For instance, take an industry that spills its waste materials into the environment and hence polluting it on a whole. Why don’t we judge their actions equally the way we do with media channels? Just because they are functioning at the back of the stage doesn’t mean they should not be pointed fingers at.
We should remember that the same media is covering the entire transmissions of coke studio, the spirit of cricket and the emotional attachment to it, our great heroes and legends etc. Why? Because that’s what we want to see. We should not forget that no channel can manipulate or sensationalize us unless we allow them to do so.
In a nut shell, if we want media to cover the positive aspects of our culture, should we not change our outlooks on issues pertaining to our culture and individuality?
Really? Businesses are run for shareholder's wealth maximization. Though there is a lot they take from the society for which they don't pay anything. Oxygen, water, air space, atmosphere etc are some examples.
ReplyDeleteDue to this, they are supposed to pay back for these services rendered by bettering the society. If profits were the ONLY thing to be considered, drug companies would have charged exorbitant prices for everything. They don't. They make a lot, still make LESS than what they can if they decide to exploit their position. It is a simple ethics principle. In the same way, Media has a HUGE part in forming perceptions. The power they hold necessitate a sense of responsibility and maturity.
Also, if you look at Pakistani Media and then compare with CNN, BBC, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Times etc you would see the difference. All the above mentioned media are extremely profitable and popular. Sadly, our media only looks up to Fox as its prime role model.
That was very thoughtful but as I mentioned earlier, I am not talking from the perspective of ethics. The point I am making is that when we condemn unethical practices of media, why don't we do so with other organizations?
ReplyDeleteTalking about the drug companies, they are making huge profits already and reason underlying that fact is not that they do not exploit their positions. They are regulated by certain regulatory bodies. And even if they seem to be into ethics, I’d like to point out that manufacturing or selling drugs in the first place is not ethical.
This does not imply that I am going pro media in any way. The point of debate is not morality again. It’s how they work to make profits. And the Western media is operating on a different set of values. It is not controlled by any external forces. Besides, there are big cultural differences in the kind of markets that they are catering to. And I don’t think that even the Western media is showing the core realities of our side of the world. That is one of the main reasons why we are still considered terrorists and extremists.
Also if we talk about responsibility, then we ourselves have the responsibility of looking for true facts and not believing in what media is showing. We choose to be deceived or not to be.
Totally Agree with u Annie here !!!
ReplyDelete