Daily Times

What comes to your mind when someone mentions “Pak Media”? TV screens flashing breaking news, reports of terror activities, shouting and screaming news readers and reporters, fallacious pronunciations, heartbreaking news stories of devastation and bomb blasts or something positive? Undeniably Pakistan media isn’t seen in the positive light by many for multiple reasons. For the past decade media houses maintained the centre stage while the country was undergoing worst form of terror related activities. Wherefore, sports and entertainment industries took a huge tumble and those who were relying on these industries for bread and butter saw themselves cast down to abject poverty. Majority, initially, were very optimistic and were thankful to the fact that a strong vibrant media is there to highlight the issues because not only sports-dependent workforce but also Pakistan’s image abroad suffered badly. The ordeal of those workers failed to arouse any degree of sympathy from the mainstream Pakistan media. Once this writer asked a progressive looking news show host to raise the issue of suspension of Pakistan Football Federation and subsequent economic fallout for the workers, in his programme. His response left me petrified for days when he said he didn’t understand football. Means he neither understood the humiliation Pakistan endured nor did he fathom the sufferings of laid off labourers.

In this gloom and doom my confidence in the state institutions began wearing off and one started believing that Pakistan sports issues are incurable as the apathy in the media and policy makers is terminal. Newly formed government of Imran Khan appointed Fawad Chaudhry as their Minister for Information and Broadcasting to fix the chronic issues of Pakistan’s national broadcaster. He is the perfect choice — for his commitment, honesty, intellectual acuity and foresightedness.

The writer’s first interaction with Fawad occurred in 2012 when PTV decided to shun English commentary for a domestic T20 tournament as one wanted him to talk to PTV authorities to withdraw that imprudent decision. He acted pretty swiftly and on his behest they decided to engage PTV Global for the English commentary for overseas Pakistanis. That decision of PTV turned out to be a super success as they earned previous revenue through advertisement. Fawad is always open to new ideas and suggestions at the same time very keen to bring about the revolutionary changes in Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan.

In his first ever policy announcement he came up with a paramount statement that plan was to put sports and entertainment industries at the forefront and in the heart of policy making. Many believe he has laid the foundation of a policy which would turn out to be real game changer where national heroes would enjoy the respect they deserve. But the Minister, for some reasons, didn’t get the appreciation he deserved. Certain news anchors and analysts have launched a full-fledged campaign to malign his image and ridicule his earnest efforts towards bringing quality information to every household in Pakistan.

Unfazed by profanity-laden tirade, Fawad is desperately looking to bring Pakistan sports’ golden era back and for that matter he has already announced the launch of another sports channel. It’s highly commendable that he realized that merely one channel wasn’t enough to cover fairly wide range of national and international sporting events. Thereupon, a new channel with the name of PTV Sports2 is in the pipe line and is likely to be available for the viewers in the first quarter of 2019.

Published in Daily Times, December 10^th 2018.