During the launch of the ‘Business Perception Survey’ in January, the former president of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Kimihide Ando, — who is also the GM of Mitsubishi Corporation — criticised the inappropriate projection of Pakistan in local media as a factor in discouraging foreign investment.

He, however, brushed aside the role of advertisers in perpetuating the trend.

Corporate Pakistan has driven the enormous growth of media, but it generally refuses to share the responsibility for the quality of news content and analysis, which throws up divisive ideas and tends to project negative image of the country. This, according to an important segment of business community, scares away foreign investors and escalates business costs.

“There are problems. But I have lived and worked in Pakistan and can vouch that there is total disconnect between the perception and the reality,” said Mr Ando.

“The impressive performance of foreign companies and my efforts to persuade my peers in my home country, Japan, to invest in Pakistan have not succeeded also because what they get to read in newspapers and see on Pakistani television,” he said.

Kamran Y Mirza, CEO of the Pakistan Business Council, supported this view. Talking to Dawn, however, he declined to acknowledge a relationship between advertisement support and content of programmes on mass media.

“The competition, evolving market and the scope of a product determines the a company’s advertising strategy. Besides, it is a peripheral issue, and I am not aware of any serious discussion apart from a passing reference to news stories at a business forum,” he said.

“But I do see a bias in this country against businesses succeeding. There is a difference in profit and profiteering, but people tend to confuse them. Somehow, profit does not appear to be kosher in Pakistan.

“Instead of celebrating business champions, the nation views them with suspicion. Even politically free thinkers tend to become conservative leftists when it comes to economics. Yes, it is not to our liking,” he aired his views.

“What do we do about it? We can not boycott media or any part of it. We produce to sell, and we reach our potential buyers through media. So, I am not sure what can be done about it,” he concluded.

Saad Amanullah, CEO of Gillette Pakistan and President of the American Business Council, however, does see through the issue of dichotomy of what the corporate sector in Pakistan wants from the media and what it supports.

“You have a point. I have not looked at the issue from this angle, but it does carry weight. It is unsettling though. We surely need to debate the issue of advertisers’ discretion that so far has primarily been led by the desire to introduce their brand to a maximum number of people at minimum cost.”

Majyd Aziz, a senior business leader of Karachi, said he will initiate dialogue on the issue at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“It is true that businesses incur additional costs when their overseas suppliers or clients decline to visit Pakistan, and they have to meet their partners in the Far East or in the Middle East.

“I had to work hard on my partners from the UK, a father/son duo, who sent me horrific media images in response to my invitation. Though when they finally came here, they enjoyed their stay and are now waiting for an opportunity to fly back in here,” he narrated his experience to Dawn.

“There is no justification for the mindless promotion of products in the media market, which actually puts premium on shallowness and sensationalism. A company should support content and programmes that generate positive debate and refrain from promoting divisive ideas, and curb cynicism,” he asserted while talking to this scribe.

“Look at the profile of the highest ranking programmes and the most popular personalities on channels. I for one would not like to be associated with their programmes. The realisation that my class [business community] has paid for their success actually saddens me. How can the private sector behave in such a socially irresponsible fashion,” he wondered.

Over the past two decades, the media industry’s growth in has surpassed the GDP growth rate by a huge margin. While GDP grew by an average of 4pc in 20 years, media expanded at 20-25pc per annum. According to one estimate, the current business turnover of the sector comes close to 2.5pc (Rs60 billion) of the GDP (Rs2.5 trillion).

While growth was witnessed in all mediums, multiple TV channels with their massive reach and influence changed the scene beyond recognition.

Over the past two decades, overall advertising spending has ballooned to Rs47 billion, from about Rs3 billion in 1993.

The electronic media claims the lion’s share of this budget. According to data provided by Gallup Pakistan, in calendar year 2013, as much as 57pc of total media advertising spending was diverted to TV adds, 30pc to print, 8pc to outdoor and brand activities and the remaining 5pc to radio and internet.