write a essay on role of mass media in priting national integration
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“Role of Media in the National Integration”
November 3, 2015 • 13 Likes • 2 Comments
Irfan Ullah
Irfan Ullah
Lecturer at Virtual University of Pakistan
Media in Pakistan has been considered as a tool, which has changed the whole political scenario in the country. It has been considered as a source of national cohesion, changing political dimensions and destination of the country. Since the time Musharraf came into power, he had given the free hand to media to have an independent reporting, either a print media or on electronic media, and gave it the name of “freedom of expression.” But slowly and gradually this freedom came under the strict state control by the name of “Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance” (PEMRA).
Media has also been considered a cause and a catalyst of national integration in the country. It acted as an amplifier on the national and international issues in Pakistan. It played an active role in gathering the people of Pakistan on one platform, mobilizing the civil society, struggle for democracy and to abolish the dictatorship in the country. It had created awareness in the country, to protest against the unconstitutional and undemocratic acts of the governing elites in Pakistan. Media had to pay a lot as a result of these services; therefore, it is quite clear that media had played a pivotal role in bringing about solidarity and national cohesion in the country.
Media:
To define media, “A means of mass communication, such as newspaper, radio, magazines, television and internet.” Media has an important place in Pakistani society as for as social life is concerned. It also played a great role in the formulation of the society on democratic lines. Three ways are broader;
It informed the people about the on going issues on national level, its impacts on their lives.
It created as an electoral pole in which it securitizes the political candidates and tells the people about their true pictures, so that they use their power in a better way. It means they make them aware about the power of their votes.
Media has gained power in recent years as a corporate agency also. It differentiates between different interest groups.
Media is so much influential that it also influences on the public opinions and acted as a pressure group.
Pakistan has a wide range of vibrant, independent and skilled print media, like in English language newspapers, “DAWN, FIRDAY TIMES, THE FRONTIER POST, DAILY TIMES, THE NEWS,” and Urdu language newspapers as “JANG, KHABRAIN, EXPRESS, NAWA-E-WAQT” etc.
The credit goes to General Pervaiz Musharraf, who had totally changed the outlook, for the private electronic media. He introduced a vast range of TV channels like, GEO, ARY, AAJ, and fully independent and competent with any other TV channels in the World. He set a trend in the private radio channels and gave the access of internet to the people of Pakistan.
In today’s World media has been considered as the most influential source and a tool, which can mobilize the civil society, can affect on the policy making and can increase political participation, and can also tilt the public opinion on any other side. It can also help in personality development, a tool for the accountability of the public servants crises management, reduction of corruption and conflict resolution. It can also play an important role in fighting against social evils like “Karo Kari” women exploitation, and can create a harmonious society. The most influential role played by the media is that it can create national cohesion all over Pakistan.
National Integration:
National integration is the awareness of a common identity amongst the citizens of a country. It means that though we belong to different castes, religions and regions and speak different languages we recognize the fact that we are all one. This kind of integration is very important in the building of a strong and prosperous nation.
Media in Pakistan has been considered as a powerful tool in creating national integration. Role of media in Pakistan has always been commendable in this regard. Unity in our country does not mean the kind of oneness that comes from racial and cultural similarity. It is unity in spite of great differences, in other words, unity in diversity. An important historical event in which this unity was displayed was the freedom movement when all the Indians united against the British rule.
A unique feature of our country is that all the major religions of the world are practiced here like Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Sikhism. There are also great varieties in costume, food habits, and social customs. Geographically our land is diverse and there are amazing differences in climate. Despite all these differences Pakistan is a political entity, every part of which is governed under the same Constitution. We have to co-exist with each other peacefully, respect the culture and religion of our fellow Pakist