Political Talk Show In Pakistan: An Amalgam of Disarray or Adopted Reality

It's over a decade now; when private TV channels in Pakistan have started the political talk shows in Pakistan. Initially Geo TV, ARY were the two famous channels to promulgate the political debates on TV screens. They started to invite the politicians from different political parties and ex- employees of different departments or experts to debate on certain topics. With the passage of time this trend established as reality and almost every channels hired some journalist cum anchors and some anchor cum actors to shove the political vigilance in the nation’s brain.

This is another truth that if these talk shows would have shared constructive debates and practical road maps  on issues in the country than Pakistan might be world’s best political aware country with the ultimate solution from media crowdsources. But the reality is against this claim. A political bizarre culture has been introduced. The failed, faked and guilty politician became the beauty of the TV screen on prime time slots to teach the success, moral and commitment lessons to the audiences.

Not all but majority of the programs are already tagged with their political affiliations and work objectively to defame the opponents. Few of senior journalist such as Syed Talat Hussain, Kamran Khan, Hamid Mir , Javed Choudhary, Salim Safi, Iftikhar Ahmed and Nusrat Javed have a great share for years to present the some interesting, critical, and thought provoking programs on several issues. However, they are also mostly missed the ‘conclusion’ of their debates.  Compared to non-professionals, lippier or planted ‘anchors’; they served well as several of their programs are the part of Supreme Court proceedings as evidence or fact sharer.

Again the question is ‘What is the key share of these programs’ in the amelioration of the state? Perhaps, the answer is either difficult or possibly negative.

The channels start consecutively the political talk shows from seven to midnight. The anchors try to post-mortem of the on-going issues and participants ‘just’ reply as per their priorities, policy lines or to score politically. The end result of majority of shows is just ‘melodrama’ to entertain the nation in prime time. Even some of the shows literally  have started to entertain the nation with comedians. I personally do not blame the planners of such show for example Hasb-e-Hal, Khabarnak, Hum Sab Umeed Sy Hein & Darling are the vital examples of the wide range of many others shows in this genre. The producers, content managers are wise people and selling the right product to the right audience. They knew that Pakistani nation like the ‘drama’,  take the politics as ‘ comedy’  and live the life as ‘joke’ so, potentially it’s a futile effort in brainstorming to educate the public logically.

Apparently, drama slots on TV channels are replaced with ‘dramas’ through a different type of characterization. The politicians proved them more talented actors than the professional actors in fictional series. They have all the guts to entertain the nation except serve the masses.

The only positive attribute of these shows is the depiction of ‘real’ face and character of politicians and other participants. For example Sheikh Rashid was considered as wise politician, his  excessive appearance in talk shows turned him a risible character. Similarly, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Kashmala Tariq, Faisal Raza Abidi, Baber Awan, Hanif Abbasi, Mushahidullah, Waseem Akhtar, Haider Rizvi, Shahi Syed, Qayyum Jatoi, Marvi Memon, Shazia Mari, Sharmila Farooqi and many others have portrayed their genuine attitude on TV screens. These shows also helped to fix the political affiliation of so-called scholars and think tanks in Pakistan.

Despite all the related curses these shows are the contemporary reality of TV screens in Pakistan and play a central cum influential role in opinion formation. Not all but a few of the shows have great influence in political agenda setting. The hosts of these shows need to realize their key role in the society. It's their responsibility to share the fair facts as much as they can before the general election 2013. Presumably, the media will play a central role in the forthcoming election to mould the voters’ perception in Pakistan. Capital Talk, Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Sath, Kal Tak, Bolta Pakistan, Live With Talat, Jirga and Jawabdeh  should the platforms to answer the voters’ sceptical in democracy in Pakistan.