Jahane Rumi In search of the unsearchable: O, my soul! where would you find your house?

Media misogyny

My piece for The Friday Times

Pakistan’s electronic media is not accountable to anyone except to the barons and the market. And let us not forget that the barons, the mafia and the market are great bedfellows

Stereotype sells and its reinforcement is a popular cause. Perhaps this is why the electronic media has taken the inherent sexism of mainstream Urdu media to new heights. A new culture of real-time degradation of women is in vogue – all in the name of entertainment and the vague estimation of ratings that guarantee commercial earnings.

In the recent weeks, we were shamelessly entertained by a reality-TV-esque squabble between two parliamentarians who called each other names. Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, a sitting federal minister of the ruling party, and Kashmala Tariq, a doyenne of the Musharraf regime entered into an argument over switching of political loyalties. Kashmala had a fair point: Dr Awan switched her party before the 2008 election and joined the PPP. Once confronted with this uncomfortable truth, she became abusive to the extent of questioning Kashamla’s ‘character’, a generally male-defined view of women’s sexuality in Pakistan.

This was ugly and disturbing, as Heera Mandi lineage, a brazen lie, was used as an excuse to demolish whatever Kashmala had to say. Not just that there was an emphasis on admirers and lovers, and how poor Kashmala allegedely had entered politics straight out of high-powered bedrooms. Disgusting as it was, the anchor kept sitting quietly, a little nervous but did not end this or stop the show. As they say the show must go on, even if it is full of filth and in the face of millions’ strong viewership. Youtube clips of this show have also been rather popular for the voyerism of Pakistanis, as the number of hits confirm this sad reality.

Kashmala Tariq coped with these allegations with manic laughter and the discourse, or lack thereof, hit the bottom to an extent that the otherwise belligerent Dr Shireen Mazari had to intervene and chide the participants for gutter-talk. This was hardly an eye-opener for most of us, for the street language and mother-sister talk is a seamless component of everyday communication in the land of the pure. But to enact this drama in public view with an anchor who at best was confused, and a channel basking in its ratings, was absolutely shocking.

What were the key messages emanating from this uncivilized exchange? That the politicians are crap, and women parliamentarians are either of dubious moral antecedents or vile and abusive. This judgement fits in pretty well with the worldview of those in Pakistan, who trash democracy as either haraam or an extravagance. Or worse, the treacherous bloody civilians are unfit to rule. And, the moralists of today – the self-important, righteous TV anchors know it all, and are the judges, legislators and executive all rolled into one.

There was hardly an apology furnished by the TV show or its management to the viewers for having offended their sensibilities, and above all to have presented nagging, quarrelling and bitchy women in full form. Haven’t we heard that women deserve a kitchen sink, or should be confined within the by-lanes of the world of reproduction?

As if this was not enough the travails of Meera, the film diva, were exploited in a most distasteful manner by the media. In a domestic saga, where a market-conscious Meera was shy of acknowledging her marriage to a non-descript businessman, was construed as another ‘loose’ woman from a shady background. The debate did not even mention once the rights of women in a marital contract – short or long term. Not that Meera helped this by her histrionics, and a mismanaged media presence.

The outright contempt and vicarious pleasure at her liar status became the ultimate archetype of a woman who had made her mark in the world of the performing arts. Meera is already a fallen character for she without the backing of Track-II wallahs had made her mark across the border and had no qualms about working with enemy film industry whose products flash in even the most patriotic homes.

A TV channel known for its ‘high’ ratings and spin doctoring crossed the limits of responsible journalism recently. A maverick interviewer, after assuring Meera that the cameras were off, aired the private, off the record conversation and her exhortations. The footage made good viewing for sick, entertainment-starved audiences, but it exposed the channel for its lack of regulation. The channel’s messiah-anchors are well-known for their conspiracy theories, hints of assassination of political leaders and glorification of retired ISI chiefs. But this time woman’s sexuality and stereotyping echoed the dimly-lit cinemas of Pakistan, where soft porn was the only business left before the advent of Bollywood films.

Poor Meera. She ought to have known that you cannot be yourself in Pakistan. Cut yourself to a cardboard box or move to the margins of ignominy. This is an important lesson for public life in dear homeland.

All appeals of media responsibility have fallen on deaf ears. It has been suggested ad nauseam that media masters must develop a credible self-regulation regime. Or they could sit down and draw programming parametres. Better still, they could re-read the PEMRA code and guidelines on how not to glorify terrorists and terrorism, and not show flying limbs and heads. Our society could do well without this brutalization.

From the hysteria over the Kerry-Lugar bill to practicing His-Master’s-Voice-syndrome, Pakistan’s electronic media is not accountable to anyone except the barons and the market. And let us not forget that the barons, the mafia and the market are great bedfellows.

Raza Rumi is a development professional and a writer based in Lahore. He blogs at www.razarumi.com and edits Pak Tea House and Lahorenama e-zines