LAHORE: While the Pakistani media, particularly electronic, may appear struggling to find a balance between issues and ethics, it has provided a platform to debate and share views.

Similarly, the media would be better placed to serve its audience effectively in a globalised environment when it has clarity of objectives on issues of concern.

These thoughts, among other, were shared at a symposium titled ‘Mediating a Global Citizenship: Humanities and The Role of Pakistani Media’ organised on Wednesday by the departments of Mass Communication and English of the FC College University (FCCU) in collaboration with The British Council as a part of humanities symposia series.

According to a press release, the inaugural session started with addresses by FC College Vice Rector Dr Joseph Jones, Humanities Dean Dr Waseem Anwar and Mass Communication Chairperson Assistant Professor Muhammad Ali.

In the first session -- Globalisation, Pakistani Media and its Political Economy – Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, nuclear physicist, analyst, columnist and a professor of physics at FCCU shared the idea of global citizenship, one-world community and the role the media could play in promoting human values of truth, accuracy, justice, fairness and equality.

Senior journalist Arif Nizami dilated on the working of Urdu and English press. He also enumerated the constraints under which the media works. He also underscored the need for the Pakistani society to shun in-wards looking approach to accept the realities of the world.

In the second session -- Media, English Language and Literature – noted academician and dramatist Navid Shahzad talked about how propaganda borrowed the tool of rhetoric for its own vested objectives. She also listed various examples where literature was used or abused as a tool of propaganda.

Writer, journalist and assistant professor at the Lahore School of Economics, Dr. Saeedur Rehman, talked about journalistic writing, English language and literature. He said both literature and media were interconnected historically.

FCCU Department of Psychology Lecturer Anita. A Azeem and English Department Assistant Profesor Dr. Madeline Clements also spoke in this session.

In the third session, Prof Dr Mehdi Hassan highlighted how the absence of code of ethics was affecting the values and norms of the journalistic profession in Pakistan. He also had a historical perspective of various issues that he believed were root causes of all ills in society.

Dr Arifa Syeda Zahra said: “We need to first have a definition of our culture. Media is our reflection, we are not reflection of the media.” She said cultural balance could come through integrity.

Dr. Saeed Shafqat gave an overall perspective of the world’s politics and policy-making paradigms, stressing that the Pakistani media could only adjust with the local needs if it had identified its clear responses and objectives. He listed education amongst the top priorities for a social change, and through it, a change or improvement in the media’s functioning and role.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play