Protectionist TV industry against ‘foreign content’
Television stakeholders stand up against the promotion of foreign content.–Photo by White Star
LAHORE: Feeling insecure in face of the rising trend of dishing out foreign content (plays) on different local TV channels, United Producers Association and television professionals staged a joint protest outside the Lahore Press Club on Monday against the practice.
The protesters, including a number of TV artistes, carrying placards with different slogans expressing their concern over the foreign content, mainly Turkish, being shown on local channels. Their main slogans was ‘Save Pakistan Television Drama Industry’.
They demanded that all Indian and foreign content dubbed in Urdu should be taken off air in Pakistan.
They said the UPA through such protest was trying to save local television drama industry. The UPA, they said, had no objection to foreign channels and programmes if they were in any foreign language or even had subtitles in Urdu.
They demanded the government should stake steps to protect the interests of local industry as was the practice in all other countries.
They also demanded that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) regulations should be revised in consultation with stakeholders, adding that a permanent role should be given to UPA in revising the rules.
Actor Firdous Jamal said the foreign content was a ‘conspiracy’ against the local TV industry hatched by the wealthy capitalists.
He said the foreign content was not only damaging the local production but also pushing against the wall the directors, producers, technicians and other people associated with the industry.
Usman Pirzada said the trend of dishing out foreign content dubbed in local language was injurious to the health of the local industry.
Actor Rashid Mehmood said foreign plays being shown on different local TV channels did not reflect local culture and traditions and it would also damage the local TV industry.
UPA Vice-Chairman Yasin Malik said the content which was against local culture and values would not be tolerated, adding the artiste community was united against the practice.
Veteran artiste Samina Ahmed regretted that channels were showing dubbed foreign plays and Indian content during prime time instead of plays being produced by local industry.
Ms Ahmed said channels were showing foreign re-runs, ignoring freshly produced local plays which was deplorable.
She said the local drama industry was a growing sector which in the last four or five years had provided employment to a large number of professionals and it kept updating itself with the passage of time when it came to scripts or technical input. The trend of showing foreign content was plying havoc with a thriving TV industry of Pakistan, she added.
“We don’t have any pact with India under which we show their content. Our channels are banned there but we on the other hand are buying their plays and showing on local channels,” she said.
She said with this kind of steps what sort of future we envisage for our younger generation studying film and television production at various local institutions.
Television artiste Maria Wasti said Pakistani culture did not allow such content which was ‘so open’. She also opposed the Indian content, saying it was promoting Indian culture amongst the younger generation.
The protesters also included Khalid Butt, Ghulam Muhayyudin, Shaukat Ali, Simee Raheel, Iftakhar Iffi, Imran Pirzada, Kiran, former PTV Lahore Station general manger Rafique Warraich.
What we need is a proper rating system. Ours is probably a handful of countries that do not have a functional rating system for television programming. An age appropriate rating system is the need of the hour. Once that system is in place, it won’t matter what is shown on television.
well there is no difference between pakistani and indian dramas today except for a few which can be counted on your fingers after rigorous thought…anyhow i am surprised by maria wasti that indian dramas are “so open”…really I don’t agree with you ma’am..you need to have a reality check and out of all people especially you …..we are hypocrites in every sense of the word..we define hypocrisy, double standards… just go and check our marriage ceremonies…what a waste of time and money…On the other hand these are very people who rush to india for any kind of tiny tiny opportunity to play a role of an extra….
DANGEROUS TREND
Any industry, be it art, manufacturing or services that demands and gets societal or Government protection sets the country on a downward spiral. Competition is the only means to achieve high quality in all endeavours of life. This has been proven again and again in progressive societies.
“They demanded that all Indian and foreign content dubbed in Urdu should be taken off air in Pakistan.”
Why just the dubbed. If they want to really save the local industry (which I highly doubt) then they should ban altogether the Soaps, Movies, Ads. Fact is everyone is playing politics no one is clean.
Don’t understand why they are insecure, our cultural dramas have their own USPs. Actually they are insecure as most of the audience have started inclining to such turkish dramas, and reach of such shows has drastically increased. It was initially shown in cities like Islamabad and Lahore, now it is being shown in Karachi, and the mass audience is tuning to such shows and increasing the TRP’s
I don’t see any issue with showing Turkish channels. The local industry will need to improve their quality and try not to mimic Indian culture. The Pakistani dramas have lost their touch. We are Pakistani and we have a great culture of our own and we do not need to follow others. I suggest they should also view Iranian dramas especially hazrat Yousuf drama series is one of the best I have ever seen.
Here’s a solution: Make better shows!
Bingo!
As per this report they were against dubbing of foreign tv serial and when Indian TV serial are not dubbed then why oppose the Indian TV channel, only turkish tv serial falls under this category.
I really don’t know what kind of stuff that new drama serial possesses and what cultural picture it’s portraying. But i’m more concerned about the attitude and reaction which has been shown by our public figures and some prominent personalities. Perhaps, it’s been several months the new drama serial is on air. But what about the Indian drama channels which have been working in Pakistan for many years? Why didn’t anybody bother to take rigid steps against them? Why nobody thought to raise their voice? I find their dramas more injurious and stigmatic to our culture. They almost deteriorated our society and environment. Our children in no age know things which surely we won’t want them to be aware of. That’s what we should stand against, and some serious stuff to be aggressive about.
All though i am in favor of freedom of expression, it is about time UPA realizes that Pakistan is a Islamic republic and understands its sensitivities. Some of the Indian dramas and movies are pure vulgar and totally against the ethos of this country, and yes, such dramas and movies should be banned from being aired in Pakistan.
Its really disappointing and unfair. Instead of making effort to improve Pakistani drama’s quality Pakistani artists are demanding to impose a ban on Turkish TV plays.One would demand that PEMRA should ban Indian sub-standard TV plays and replace them by Turkish, Iranian and Bangladeshi music and TV plays.
Watch any Pakistani drama trailer. You will not see one person smiling. Pakistani plays add only more depression to an already depressed society. No wonder people are turning elsewhere for escapism.
The people in the pictures have monopoly in PTV for decades. Some of them think they are intellectual of Pakistan. It is free market now they should compete.
Wow,another “conspiracy” in the land of the pure! When are the “interests” going to realize that the TV channels run what people want to watch, be they dubbed Indian soap operas and movies, or syndicated dramas from the US, Britain, or Turkey to name a few, all dubbed in Urdu. The PUBLIC has voted with their TV remote as to what they want to watch!
why should we have to understand other culture through dramas,our dramas are better and meaningful.
Then why Pakistani artists are buckling under this first test of real competition from Turkish TV. They were silent with Indian stuff, because it gave them no competition and they were not bothered.
Its not protectionist view, infact common view is that lot of channels look like our neighbour country channel instead of Pakistan, including news style, culture etc, at times i wonder whether is this a Pakistani channel, if that is the case, than what about two nation theory, was that a lie to innocent people of subcontinent. I am shocked.