Responsibility of Media towards Ensuring Good Governance in
One of the most important elements of good governance in any country is the existence of free and impartial media which could make the access of common citizen possible to any happening or event. media consists of multifarious organizations such as Radio, Television, newspaper, web explorer, which serves as channels for a limitless range of conflicting views on virtually all issues, and which are frequently in competition with each other. In
Media is a vehicle which guarantees the free flow of information and ideas necessary for an effective functioning of a democratic society. Although media is not formally a institution of government, but it is considered as fourth institution of government machinery after legislature, executive and judiciary. As the matter of fact, media professionals are the representatives of the people but they are not been elected but they serve as an agents of the people in that they act on behalf of the people when they seek out and disseminate information on which the people need to make political judgments and other decisions that are important for their well-beings.
The case of developing countries in regard of media policy and practice is different from the developed countries. In Developing countries, the high rates of illiteracy and widespread ignorance among a majority of their populations about the most basic issues of national importance and unavailability of basic necessities does not let them analyze the routine policies of government. Thus the prevailing disorder in the developing countries demands high responsibility on the part of media to inform the citizen and to enlighten them about political, economic and social issues. It also has a responsibility to subject government policies, programs and activities in to scrutiny and to expose corruption, misconduct and incompetence in government.
Unfortunately, this is often difficult for many leaders to do. They see any demand for accountability as a challenge to their power and authority, as an attempt to control them. They view demands for transparency as an insult to their integrity, even when they are stealing the people blind. They see the media, which embodies all of these, as a nuisance, at best, and as an enemy, at the worst. They therefore devote their resources and energies to fighting these “enemies” who seek to introduce instruments or establish institutions of accountability and transparency. All that is required is for governments and political leaders to recognize that they have a batter chance of making progress and bringing development to their countries when they expand the pool of ideas available to them by allowing effective pubic participation in the governance process.
In respect to
Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defense of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, commission of or incitement to an offense.
This particular article guarantees the freedom of expression and freedom of the press, but it also talk about the "reasonable restrictions", so that the check could be made on the given freedom of individuals as well as of organizations to avoid any encroachments of rights. The media history in Paksiatn exhibits the bitter realities that whenever the military take over the rule, media had to face certain restrictions. In 1963 the Press and Publications Ordinance (PPO) came into being containing the harshest of laws curtailing freedom of expression and the progressive development of the media and leading to the March 1969 relinquishing of power by President Ayub Khan to General Yahya Khan who imposed martial law. In 1977, General Zia ul Haq ousted Bhutto from the prime minister position and once again imposed martial law under which abuse of journalists became public rather than covert. Journalists were flogged in public at Zia's whim. Not one single law or regulation of any progressive character was created during Zia's rule. In 1988, Benaiz Bhutto as a successor of Zulfiqar ali Bhutoo became a first Women Prim Minster of Pakisatan, She brought with her a new phase of liberalism toward the mass media laws and regulations. For example, Bhutto's government allowed government-controlled radio and television to provide daily and well-balanced coverage of the speeches and statements of its opposition in news bulletins and current affairs programs. Because the print media reaches such a small percentage of the population, this change had a significant impact on the pubic, but was returned to the old, one-sided coverage after only four months because of pressure on Bhutto by her party, the Pakistan People's Party. Specifically, the Ministry of Information no longer required issuance of permits to import newsprint and allowed a free and open system of importing newsprint at market prices.
In1997, when Pakistan Muslim League (N) came in to power , Sharif used many heavy-handed methods to deal with journalists who dared to criticize his government. He put tremendous pressure on independent journalists, using both covert and overt means of retribution. In 1999: General Pervez Musharraf overthrows Sharif, suspends the constitution, and declares martial law; government agents raid the country's most influential newspaper, Jang, because it was too critical of the government. On 1st March 2002,
Its worth mentioning here that somehow or the other, the media is somewhere neglecting its positive an effective role to inform the citizen and its now become a tool to harass the viewers regarding the particular happening or event. To expose the dead bodies, to show the blood shed to a large scale can not give the public a food of thought in fact it prevail chaos and disturbance in society. The Television channels are being high jacked by the political parties, the journalist are writing for the particular political parties, the impartiality of the media is begin effected by such policies. The Pakistan peoples party came in third time rule after the general elections 2008, and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani in his first address on 25th March 2008 to the parliament showed his willingness towards the freedom of media by declaring the Pemra ordinance null and void which was implemented in Musharaff regime to put the jinee of Media in the bottle. In this regard the role of former information Sherry Rehman can not be over looked who did not only allow media to record the regular proceedings of the parliament session but only resigned as she was not being discussed in some decisions related to her ministry. In such situation the media has an imperative role of not only the provision of quick and unbiased information but also to educate people socially and politically. The pessimist role of media being observed now a days, as electronic media isn’t reluctant to show the undressed dead bodies with blood which is no doubt a psychologically a bad effect on the minds of people. It’s the true fact that the people who watch television and who expire web belongs to every age, it is against the dignity of human being to expose violent actions resulted in the form of massive lose of lives in such a inhuman way. No developed county allow to on air such kinds of videos on media. Though the free media is one of the important element to ensure good governance but media need to be well aware of its responsibilities and it should not be allowed to disrespect humanity under the cover of freedom of expression.
Reference:
1. Owais Aslam Ali.
2. Sarah Chaudhary, Voice of the Nation in Nation:Sunday plus,Vol.25,November 2007, pg 18
3. "Country Profile:
4. Jabbar, Javed, and Qazi Faez Isa. Mass Media Laws and Regulations in
Zamurrad Awan
Lecturer
Kinnaird College for Women, Lhr
zamurredawan@yahoo.com
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