The Socio-cultural Impact of Media Freedom in Pakistan and Its Term Paper

The Socio-cultural mend of Media Freedom in Pakistan and Its Implications for Public Expression and Information Accessibility - Term Paper Examplee then allowed to participate in proper elections this time in 1988 but the transition to democracy has been a continuous struggle between the military and civilian organisations. In short, where some democratic practices start out been permitted, they have usually been partial, controlled and incomplete under the rule of the military (Zaidi, N.d.) or else manipulated under the occasional civilian rule. The descriptor that emerges from this brief historical overview is that the degree of democracy has been generally (though not steadily) increase in Pakistan over the former(prenominal) few decades. It has been a difficult process of political development however, as Pakistan has had to struggle with all the associated problems since its liberty from British rule in 1947, such as identity, legitimacy, integration, penetration, participa tion and distribution (Bahadur, 1998 14). Still, one essential part for implementing a true democratic framework only came about at the start of the present twenty-first century. That element is media immunity. Previous transitions to democracy lacked the degree of immunity of the media that is present today The importance of media freedom Media freedom allows the citizens to be better informed and therefore become involved in important issues or rase challenge the government when necessary in order to ensure a healthy democracy. With the increasing complexity of modern society, it is necessary more than ever for ordinary citizens to be able to express themselves on prevalent matters and access information that concerns them and which they have a right to k flat about. As Dahr Jamail (2006) said, Since an informed citizenry is the groundwork for a healthy democracy, independent, non-corporate media are more crucial today than ever before. Although these... From the report it is attract that media freedom allows the citizens to be better informed and therefore become involved in important issues or even challenge the government when necessary in order to ensure a healthy democracy. With the increasing complexity of modern society, it is necessary more than ever for ordinary citizens to be able to express themselves on public matters and access information that concerns them and which they have a right to know about.As the essay stresses media freedom is a recent phenomenon in Pakistans history. With the freeing of the media in Pakistan, the media landscape is very different now compared to how it was in the past. Previously, in the 1990s there were only a limited number of clubby operators, i.e. in addition to the state media. The power wielded by the state controlled media was evident, for example, when General Zia-ul-Haqq mandated a massive media campaign to brush off the popular civilian leader Zulfiiqar Ali Bhutto who was later executed. During Zi as era, the power of the judiciary too was restricted. The media has had to struggle to bear on its freedom. There have been a number of both verbal and physical attacks on some private media offices and personnel by the government. There have also been periods of intense political pressure and during which bans have been enforce discussed further on. The vulnerability of the media in creating an opportunity for the systematic, sustained, and nationwide use of new media platforms showed during this time.