Agenda Setting Theory Examples in Pakistan

Media play a significant role in every country’s success. It helps the country to achieve its objectives by highlighting the problems of its citizens and it can spoil everything by diverting the attention of people from important issues.

Importance of media in Pakistan:

Like other countries media is playing vital role in Pakistan. First time media was given full freedom and independence during the time of former President Pervez Musharraf. Since Pervez Musharaf era 2002, Pakistani media has become powerful and independent and the number of private television channels has grown. In Pakistan, media has positive and negative impacts.

Positive role of media in Pakistan:
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Media played important role in freeing the judiciary and making it independent. It gave full coverage to the lawyer’s movement during the era of Musharraf and it was largely media’s effort, which allowed them to have their way, which was in the interest of Pakistani people. When natural disasters take place in Pakistan, like earthquake in 2005 and flood in 2010. In 2005 earthquake hit the northern areas of the country, Pakistani media job by gave top coverage to the entire event and appeal to the people for help. They aired advertisement free television programs for hours in which they called various artists and celebrities from all over the country who appealed from the entire nation for contribution of funds. It was the case when floods hit Pakistan in 2010. Many of the anchors along with their team visited the flood-affected areas and highlight the miserable condition of the people. Like Abrar-ul-Haq, Tariq Aziz appealed in his different shows for help.

Voice of people:
With the rise of media, voice of people also came into light. The interest and thoughts of people are also highlighted.

Standard of people raised:

Due to glamour media has raised the standard of life. As the standard increases greed comes which is bad on the contrary it is also a sign of development.

Source of knowledge:

Media is not only a source of entertainment it has also come forward a knowledge hub. Many universities have launch there channels.

Global village:

Media has made world now global village. it takes seconds for news to get from one part of world to get to others.

Negative role of media in Pakistan:

When we talk about negative role of media, we can say that in Pakistan media role is very biased. Because our media is playing one-sided role rather than two sided role and focuses on commercialization rather than stabilization. According to article nine media has freedom of speech, our media is fourth pillar of state, but on the name of freedom Pakistani media image portrayed negatively.

In Pakistan, this is media ethic that dead bodies should not be printed in the newspapers and should not show on news channels. This provision is a part of Pakistani media but Pakistani media shows dead bodies of the people on the TV, which has created concept of insecurity. These videos influence on Psyche of the people and they left status of depression. Reason are the things that are comprised of goodness and of moral values doing not bring money while the programs in which suicide bombers and evil things are shown that brings a lot of money. For example, theme of dramas which we watch on PTV are of good character and based on our traditional and cultural ethics but the dramas we see on rest of other Pakistani channels are apoles apart. Those channels are showing Indian culture and we are copying their culture shamelessly not only Indian channels our channels are promoting their dramas like koh-e-0noor channel.

In Pakistan, media owners and financial markets set media agenda and use media for their interests. In 2012 due to 340million dollars Pakistani media present America as a friend, of which, outcome, came under the knowledge after the commencements of programs like voice of America in which culture of America that has been nicely portrayed. On the other side, Indian programs like Big Boss and India award programs had also started appearing on our TV screens. Why our media aired Indian dramas and American shows, on the contrary the importance of our religion and state that bases on two-nation theory are not aired to the larger extent. During the time of Indian attacks Kasab who was caught red handed, had been declared as Pakistani by so-called Geo TV why? Hundreds of Americans, Raw agents are penetrating in Baluchistan and in their media never claimed; their presence rather defended them to all possibilities. This factor clearly implied to the world that Pakistan is the exporter of terrorism not of peace.

Society:

Society is organized group of people associated together for religious, culture, scientific and political purposes. Society made for individuals who have agreed to work together for mutual benefits or small group of people or community within a given community.

Pakistani society:

Humans have established many types of societies throughout history, anthropologists tend to classify different societies according to the degree to which different groups within a society have unequal access to advantages such as resources, prestige or power. Virtually all societies have developed some degree of inequality among their people through the process of social stratification-the division of members of a society into levels with unequal wealth, prestige or power.

Pakistani society is divided in three classes.

oUpper or elite class
oMiddle class
oLower class

Upper or elite class in Pakistan:

The people of upper class in Pakistan enjoy high social, economic and political status and they are the privileged class people. These people have sense of superiority and show the same to the lower and middle classes in every walk of their life. The majority of these classes are constituted by the businesspersons, jagirdars, property owners, sardars, high officials and army personnel. This is the class, which is responsible for keeping the economy of Pakistan instable and miserable.

Middle class in Pakistan:

It is viewed as the class that is between, and separates, the lower and the upper classes, that is the rich and the poor. All those who are not living above the poverty line cannot be put in the middle class. In layman’s terms, people who are neither rich nor working class or poor and have some education and skills are most likely to form the middle class. A growing middle class is typically associated with brighter growth and economic prospects for a country and has significant economic as well as social and political implications.

Lower class:

In Pakistan, small employees, workers, small business holder like rickshaw driver, conductor, peon sweeper, house mades etc are from lower class.