83.3pc TV Broadcast Content In Pakistan Revolves Around Politics: Report

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th May, 2024) A credible think tank has launched a comprehensive investigative report on the media sector highlighting a staggering increase in production of political content on the private television (TV) channels of the country.

The report was released by the Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) here Sunday, which explained perception and reality of the tv news media in the light of international models.

The initial investigation of the report revealed that “83.3 per cent of the broadcast content revolves around politics, often accompanied by misinformation.”

It attributed the prevailing media fervor in the country to “managerial, structural, and value-related issues”.

According to the report, the “advertisement-based revenue model fuels a perpetual competition for higher ratings by emphasizing exclusives and breaking news.

A few popular news channels are among the highly rated channels from the media industry, said the report which deemed it an indication of the “heightened political hysteria”, mainly fostered by sensationalized news content.

According to the report, the 'lack of digitization' had led to interest groups manipulating Television Rating Points (TRP), distorting actual sentiments and viewership preferences.

The report pointed out “an ownership crisis in the media industry” which compromised professionalism and responsibility.

“Cross-ownership has empowered influential stakeholders with commercial interests and often overshadowed public interests," it added.

“There is a content production crisis as the industry has prioritised vertical expansion over-diversification, often aggrandising non-issue into the issue,” the report added.

According to the report, the average TV viewership per person had decreased 14 per cent yearly and “currently stands at less than 120 minutes per day”. “This is partly due to the introduction of new media (digital and social) and partly due to the lower quality of content.”

Divulging details about the media industry, it said the country hosted 114 satellite TV channels and the Pakistan Television Network (ptv). In addition to national channels, 43 foreign channels are licensed through Landing Right Permission (LRP).

“The licensed channels are a balanced health, sports, and education mix.

However, due to Pakistan's limited capacity of the analogue cable system, only 70 per cent be aired through cable networks. Consequently, this limits viewers' choice of news, where 42.8 per cent of the available content is news.”

The report called the channel mix as “misleading” due to disconnect between viewership and broadcasters' preferences. “Currently, the entertainment-to-news ratio is 4:3, which preferably should be 7:2,” it added.

In terms of content, the report said the news media in Pakistan was “highly inward-looking”.

Citing a report of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) released in 2021, it said approximately 340 current affairs programmes were aired weekly, with politics occupying 58 per cent of the debate focus.

“Even issues like economy, governance, law and order, and sports are discussed with a political overtone.”

It said the saturation of political content has negatively impacted the national discourse, where the discourse on other important walks of life is found missing or proportionately low.

“The media industry resorts to sensationalism to keep the business alive, but international practices present some successful models to align media practices and national interests,” the report said calling 'BBC public service remit' a positive consideration in this regard as its remit demanded programs on topics of public interest, including arts, science, technology, household and religion, with sensitivity and responsibility.

The report also stressed promotion of local news channels which is imperative to diversify the content and bring meaningful news to the audience.

“In this regard, the study has gained the support of 53.2 percent of the population,” it added.

It also stressed on establishing an an international HD English news channel to present the country's perspective effectively. “Currently, BBC, Aljazeera and CNN correspondents present Pakistan's case, which credibly should come from Pakistan directly.”

Likewise, reviving specialized programs on news channels can also enhance content balance.

Giving some suggestions to rectify the situation, it called upon media to balance information, education and entertainment. News should not be synonymous with political coverage. Instead, there should be a fair balance of subjects.