It is hardly news that Pakistan’s media industry is rapidly expanding and is in a powerful state (rather, was until the curbs, impositions and blackouts, of which it has been a victim lately). But ever since the government decided to dish out licenses to individuals and private companies to bid for a representation on the broadcasting horizon of Pakistan, there had been a rush to make one’s presence felt.Thus news, entertainment, music, sports, children, shopping, religion and even culture arrived on our television screens, often in a boisterous manner.
No doubt, it had been a long road: from the time of nine o’clock PTV Khabarnama to news around the clock, from watching cartoons at quarter-past seven in the morning to an unstoppable, often addictive, dosage of an entire variety of animated characters at our service 24/7, from the cherished and eagerly awaited night when our national television station would bless our curved screens with an English movie, albeit from the Mughal days, to Pay-per-View and movies-on-demand, and from Radio Pakistan and the crackling ‘AM’ stations that our grandparents tuned into and over to the various request shows inundating our frequency-world today.
And notwithstanding the emergency, we can safely say that a revolutionary variety in media, especially television has come a long way in the last decade.
However, quantity does not necessarily signify quality. Similarly, with the sheer speed that these private channels grabbed a spot on our screens and in our minds, it gave the audience, the people who decide what should be on the screens and airwaves, not much time to reserve judgment.
There had been a far few rotten apples along the way as well. These victims of our sincerest of abominations are the ones who have inflicted our wrath upon themselves on the basis of a purely unprofessional presentation and sheer lack of standards.
Working in the media industry comes with added perks. The apparent ‘charm’ for the masses serve as rocking reasons enough, but at the same time, it requires toil that is not easy to handle, and with the kind of work that was being churned out, it is no surpeise that experts were not very impressed by the results, be it visuals on televions, or audio on radios, or even what we would come across on billboards, magazines and websites.
Asma Fazil, a student counselor for a media training institute, reckons that there was only one way our media industry was going, and that was up (obviously, this was before the curbs of TV channels). She, however, fully agrees that no media can survice without proper training and facilities and that should be made top priority.
“Although the media and multimedia industry is an expanding field in any country, and one where charm perhaps outshines the rest of the incentives, it is not for everyone. Take designing and advertising for example. You need people with artistic minds, people who are looking to contribute to a field with lots of creativity involved and who can sketch or draw, and people who have attention to detail and not someone who wants a quick result.
“However, even with all the creativity and sketching qualities they bring, we still need to train them. We still need to craft their minds in such a way that they pick up on the concepts, oozing out of them in their everyday task.
“And it is not only the concepts we need to straighten up. While the minds are young, we also need to ensure there is proper awareness. We need to ensure we bring in new ideas instead of copying other people’s work.”
A major point raised in the recent past is the downhill progression of our locally-produced dramas. There was a point in time when our own dramas made headlines with copies of those old-time classics still sitting on a lot of shelves even today. Even the younger generation recalls the story, the twists, the plot and the characters. Where has the trend disappeared now, they ask. Why have we suddenly gone from utilising our brains, our creativity and our ideas to copying what our neighbours are doing and that too of inferior quality.
“Even when these channels were on air, we were not moving ahead with time. We lack the technology, the hardware and and the commitment to match our neighbours. There are plenty of institutions who will train on how to improve the quality of photo, colours, and even the looks of the models, but we are not availing these opportunities.
“Foreign industries are using animations as well as various software in their films. Pakistan, on the other hand, is lacking all that,” she adds.
This is where the need of a proper training and guidance procedure lies. Media houses, private production companies and television channels emphasise the need for properly trained individuals in the industry. Obviously those with the ‘concepts and awareness’ drilled in can mix the creative juices within and come up with appealing presentations, for example, an animated commander on own screens or even the billboards that line our roads, and the websites that Pakistani youngsters have produced.
Nadym Khan, a private producer, is all for the injection of young, talented and trained blood into the industry. “It’s a fast growing field. You come up with something and your message will be delivered throughout the world in no time.
“When it comes to students, it is precisely for this reason that it becomes essential to give them ample work experience as well as on-hand training while they are studying. Theory will only get you to a certain level, but practicing what is learnt in classrooms will ensure the refined material. ‘Student’ who comes out after graduating has the confidence to tackle real world problems as well.
“It takes a lot of hard work. Media is no easy job. It comes with long, often stressful, hours and not a huge pay to start off with, but as long as one’s concepts are clear, there should not be a problem.”
All said and done, why was there a sudden surge in media-related jobs (until recently) and, as a result, an aspiration towards working in the field? One major reason, as mentioned before, is the charm of working in the so-called glamour world, be it television, radio or even a magazine. It forms an influencing factor among peers and a source of respect. But according to a few, it also gave them something different to choose from as not everyone in the world wants to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer.
However, experts are quick to warn newcomers against expecting reaping benefits from day one.
“It is a gradual process, and progression takes time. It should be given the time it deserves,” says Asma. “Speaking about our dramas again, we tend to shoot them and edit them in haste. Eagerness to put them in front of the audience often makes the editors and producers miss out on important tasks that could have improved the final quality of the product and maybe attracted the viewer for longer than it has.”
While advising a hearty dosage of patience and conscientiousness, Nadym reminds students that the world of media does not necessarily stop at a television channel or a radio station.
“There are a number of decent magazines that are being edited and produced locally. With students and professionals picking up new ideas courtesy the internet and exposure to the international world of media, we have seen great improvement in our print media as well. Magazines about twenty years ago tend to stick to the same design and format for eons. In recent years, electronic and print media switched to vibrant colours and new designs, and it is really refreshing to see all the emerging change,” Nadym said.
Speaking on the same topic, Asma pointed out that in the world of multimedia designing, there exist three fields: architecture, character animation, and product modeling. This meant that television, radio and magazines were not the only horizons creativity-aspiring individuals can venture towards. There is a lot of interior design, fashion designing and even engineering aspect of it to cater a lot of students.
However, for all that, there has to be formal training, commitment and a desire to succeed even with all the problems facing the world of media in Pakistan. Experts believe that the tools and hardware required for a delivery is a notable presentation that exists. But above all that we need to use the mind in a required manner.
Media boom all over the world can thank technology for its existence. Having tasted this boom, and hoping for more, it becomes all the more important for media institutes to work on the techie factor, if they want their students to assimilate easily in the work environment. As for the improvement in equipment and formats and an improved cash-flow and advent of technology, it is a task that the individual and the community has to undertake as a whole.
© Faras Ghani 2007
Published in Sci-Tech World (DAWN newspaper) 17th Nov 2007
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