With lessons from the country’s history of journalism, the future of media should be refined; this was established at a seminar titled ‘21st century media – new frontiers, new barriers’.
South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) arranged the seminar on Tuesday in connection with World Press Freedom Day 2011.
The seminar discussed the present condition of the media, especially print journalism with regard to the fettered journalism that has always managed to survive in Pakistan.
seminar was attended by many and the guests invited to express their views on this topic included Khalid Chaudry, Hassan Askari, Arif Nizami, Ayaz Mir Shirrn Pasha, IA Rehman, Rasul Bakhsh Rais and Imtiaz Alam.
Khalid Chaudry said that the journalists of Pakistan had went though a tough struggle for the freedom of press. He said that during Zia’s reign, journalist were captured in put in to jails and the newspaper owners never stood up for them. He also alleged that the TV anchor were linked with the ISI.
Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami said, “When we speak of freedom, we feel proud that we have struggled this far but we also look back on what media has been doing during the days of the dictators. I have gone through the newspapers concerning Bhutto’s hanging and I have found that most of the prominent newspapers welcomed the hanging in their editorials.” He said that it was the media’s job to enlighten the people.
Ayaz Mir said that journalists’ sacrifices had bought us freedom. He said that dictators were always degraded but the reality was that the two biggest dictators had ensured a free media. He said that the most channels were opened and live transmission was allowed in Musharrafs era.
Imtiaz Alam said that soon the smallest form of media would be cell phones. He said adjusting with the flow of time was andatory. He said that extremism was not the solution to anything.
Dr IA Rehman questioned, “Do we want freedom of press for the leaders of political parties or for working journalists? Should we use it to highlight the problems of the masses or the privileged classes?”
Meanwhile, on World Freedom Day, minority rights activist J Salik said a country cannot progress without a free media. He praised the media for standing up for minorities