MORNING SHOWS – ATTACK ON ETHICS!

He who controls the media controls the mind of the public

Noam Chomsky

Morning shows and their content are a famous taboo in our society. What morning shows depict, is what mostly minors adopt. Morning shows in Pakistan have become a strategic step by media elites to change trends in the ethics of our society and are used as a means of agenda-setting via brainwashing and changing priorities. Mostly their target audience is women; housewives and especially children. Pakistani morning shows are the staple of the morning routines of many housewives.  Influence in culture, language, relationships, religious practices, and ethics is seen. As the majority of housewives are viewers of these kinds of shows. So, it affects their marital life as hen wives and also turns the wants into needs; in terms of a lavish and ideal lifestyle. Housewives watch these Morning Shows and are getting influenced by the artist according to their mental understanding. They’re promoted as a fun and informative way to start the day and are a popular form of Pakistani women’s entertainment, even when they don’t live in Pakistan. These shows have molded and de-framed many concepts in our culture and society side by side. Morning show hosts have now attained a status beyond normal humans. They are now motivational speakers, cooks, singers, wedding planners, therapists, make-up artists, social workers- they are one of the most revered personalities on television. Therefore, what they say matters to a lot of people. And usually, they will say things that they think matter to others.

We have seen many topics on morning shows which are useless and have no impact on viewers other than misleading and complicating social concepts in society. Some of them include luxurious wedding planning, how to make raita? Where to buy Halal Makeup, personifying celebrities, Fashion tips, dance competitions, cooking, makeup contests, unethical minute-to-win contests, promoting vulgarity in the name of Aurat March, etc. Content of morning shows like Good Morning Pakistan, Jago Pakistan Jago, Utho Jago Pakistan, despite having a huge viewership, revolve around such topics which are neither playing a part in developing mental growth nor building religious concepts among the young generation and especially children. These shows are duly illuminating the harsh realities of life and fantasizing an ideal life where brands are becoming a lifestyle. With all the glamor and beautification complexes that are depicted in morning shows, it is the ultimate truth that media shows hold a mirror to real society and it’s the reflection of media.

They watch these shows and perceive them according to their mental levels and then also derive different meanings from those shows. Morning shows are densely watched. It has a massive viewership as compared with other shows. Females of Lahore stand at the age of having idealistic thinking or fantasy about the future.

Another stereotype that morning shows content gracefully broadcasts is “Body shaming”. This concept implies that one feels ashamed and dissatisfied with their natural body features and becomes a victim of an inferiority complex. This has majorly affected young girls as they are sensitive about their skin tone, facial features, nose structure, bodyweight, etc. eventually derailing the youth from their fruitful aims.

Rating is important to keep a show running. But it also does shows on subjects which are not appropriate for society and especially women and children in society. For instance, last year, a female host in her Morning show paid no heed to mend her ways of learning a thing or about sensitivity, despite all the criticism she received on Twitter. She called the parents of a 6-years old rape victim girl who was murdered, and were asked questions like "How did you recognize her? Oh, she was wearing the same trouser? How did you realize she had been raped?" were only a few of the insensitive questions she ruthlessly posed, as the mother sobbed and the father struggled to recall the sequence of events and narrate them on national television.

Crossing all boundaries of empathy, the host then turned to two other male guests on the show, wondering aloud how rape victims can be identified after the crime - all in the presence of those parents whom she passed no condolences to, let alone words of comfort, or a physical gesture of support.

 This is important to highlight that PEMRA needs strict ethical policies, especially for females who have to play the role of a mother and housewife. Media channels must review their content before broadcasting it. We have past examples of many marvelous and ethical shows like Rising Pakistan by Tauseeq Haider, Tariq Aziz Show (a.k.a Nelaam Ghar), Kasuti, etc. we have to revive such kind of ethical and moral shows which play a part in the moral development of our society and religious practices as well.