Media and culture.

Byline: Syeda Fatima Rizvi - Karachi

WHILE switching different programmers and serials shown on our TV, I often wonder what kind of role the media is playing in our so-called Islamic society. Is it promoting positivity or negativity? Is it contributing to the development or retardation of Pakistani culture?

In the present era the media is the fastest way of spreading information throughout the world in the blink of an eye. Today we have become the slave of media, and what I am worried about is alien cultural invasion of our society.

Today Hollywood and Bollywood seem to be ruining our traditions through entertainment. No wonder our young generation appears to be enamoured of the way of life shown in these films. Our film industry, too, is getting influenced by Western and Indian films and trying to follow them in a way that goes against our religion and culture. Instead of promoting our religious values and norms we are blindly promoting Western values. Turkish serials have become common on Pakistani channels and people take a lot of interest in them.

Our fashion shows and TV commercials have become vulgar. Our way of dressing...