Indian shows on Pak channels
Madiha Viquar
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - Over the last decade, there has been a mushroom growth of television channels in Pakistan. However, it seems that most of them, especially the entertainment channels don’t really have enough content to show to their audiences. Perhaps this is the reason why they regularly air Indian shows on their own channels.
This practice has been going on ever since these private television channels emerged and has only increased with time. Our entertainment channels televise all sorts of Indian programmes, be it a soap opera, a sitcom, a movie, a celebrity talk show, an award show, or a reality show. Nearly every Pakistani entertainment channel airs at least one Indian programme. And apart from this, Bollywood movies are also regularly shown, particularly on weekends and special occasions like Eid.
Not only the entertainment channels, but many of our news channels also seem to be obsessed with the Indian media and Bollywood stars. News related to the release of Indian movies and the personal lives of Indian film stars is told with such enthusiasm as if they are our own celebrities. Their achievements, scandals, break-ups and controversies are all shown in great detail and they are given unnecessary media projection.
I would like to ask the entertainment channels, especially, that why do they air so many Indian shows on their channels? Why do our channels show such programmes so regularly? Why are they so heavily dependent on the Indian media? Perhaps because they fear that they won’t run successfully until they take the support of foreign channels, particularly the Indian channels.
It is highly ironical that the same channels which strongly condemn the influence of Indian media on our society and speak in a greatly prejudiced tone about Indian shows and Indian actors in their talk shows and morning shows; themselves broadcast Indian programmes. It is a shame that just to get higher ratings our entertainment channels use the Indian media as their backing. It would be much better that these channels close themselves down if they are not able to show quality content to their viewers, than to rely so heavily on foreign media.
—Karachi
This practice has been going on ever since these private television channels emerged and has only increased with time. Our entertainment channels televise all sorts of Indian programmes, be it a soap opera, a sitcom, a movie, a celebrity talk show, an award show, or a reality show. Nearly every Pakistani entertainment channel airs at least one Indian programme. And apart from this, Bollywood movies are also regularly shown, particularly on weekends and special occasions like Eid.
Not only the entertainment channels, but many of our news channels also seem to be obsessed with the Indian media and Bollywood stars. News related to the release of Indian movies and the personal lives of Indian film stars is told with such enthusiasm as if they are our own celebrities. Their achievements, scandals, break-ups and controversies are all shown in great detail and they are given unnecessary media projection.
I would like to ask the entertainment channels, especially, that why do they air so many Indian shows on their channels? Why do our channels show such programmes so regularly? Why are they so heavily dependent on the Indian media? Perhaps because they fear that they won’t run successfully until they take the support of foreign channels, particularly the Indian channels.
It is highly ironical that the same channels which strongly condemn the influence of Indian media on our society and speak in a greatly prejudiced tone about Indian shows and Indian actors in their talk shows and morning shows; themselves broadcast Indian programmes. It is a shame that just to get higher ratings our entertainment channels use the Indian media as their backing. It would be much better that these channels close themselves down if they are not able to show quality content to their viewers, than to rely so heavily on foreign media.
—Karachi
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