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Out with the foreign, in with the local
Cable operators say they have been receiving calls to increase the number of Pakistani entertainment channels.
The ban on Indian channels has resulted in increased viewership of local entertainment channels. illustration: s.jamal.k
LAHORE: After Indian TV channels were taken off air by the Pakistan Electronic Media and Regularity Authority (Pemra) on the orders of the Supreme Court, people have no choice left but to watch local entertainment channels.
But the move may turn out to be a blessing for them.
Cable operators told The Express Tribune that they had been receiving phone calls from clients to increase the number of Pakistani entertainment channels, adding that people asked them to show those local TV channels as well which were not in demand earlier. A representative a cable operator association told The Express Tribune that women mostly watched Indian television channels, especially for soap operas, and after the closure of Indian channels, they had switched over to local channels. “It is the end of Ramazan right now and people tend to watch fewer TV shows at this time. It is expected that ratings of the local entertainment channels will improve after Ramazan,” another cable operator believed.
Veteran playwright Munnu Bhai believes that a ban of the Indian TV channels was very much needed. “People say that Indian channels are very popular in Pakistan. I elaborate this ‘popularity’ with an example. If 500 dogs in Lahore die after eating some poisonous herbs, it doesn’t mean dogs like herbs. It only means that dogs are hungry.”
“If Indian dramas are watched here, it doesn’t mean they are very good dramas or people are crazy about it. It only means that people want to watch dramas,” he said.
He believed that Pakistani playwrights should focus on realistic concepts.
Actor and producer Samina Ahmad also believes that young Pakistani playwrights were now focusing on social issues and would capture a larger market easily. She said, “People already say that entertainment channels are becoming popular again as people are bored of watching political talk shows”.
An official of Pemra he said that it was too early to say that rating of local entertainment channels had gone up. “Pemra issues its report of ratings of different television channels on a monthly basis.
The rating might have gone up but we can only officially confirm it after the release of Pemra’s report,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2010.
Reader Comments (18)
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I think these channels should be closed forever, as it is distorting the minds of small children’s of our nation, atleast the StarPlus, StarOne, and other like ones should be closed foreverRecommend
Well done. Keep them shut for next 100 years.Recommend
Absolutely right article… i have seen this in my house.. b4 this ban my mom and younger sis used to watch those hilarious Indian TV Soaps and were sometimes in between the conversation started using some Hindi Language words specially my sis… And m very strict about the language issues in my home, just can’t tolerate Hindi for even 1 second… But now i can see that situation has coooled down and they have started watching all the great entertainment channels of Pakistan (Hum TV, Geo TV, ARY) and no doubt the quality of drama or entertainment which our local channels give is matchless… Thanks to Supreme Court for ban order and to PEMRA as well… Ban them for life……..Recommend
Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great move… India was destroying our youth with its media…… its high time we did something about it……Recommend
I really don’t care about the closure of Indian Channels. But what i am concerned with is that along with these Indian channels some educative channels for children have gone off the air. My daughter was a aavid fan of the Disney Channel and Baby TV. The only alternative is Cartoon Network which shows violent cartoons and dubbed Indian shows. Maybe PEMRA should review its decisions on family oriented channels as well as get its act together on the type of programs on these ‘registered’ channels . Till such time i’ll survive with my DVD player …Recommend
Apparently Pemra isn’t aware that a lot of people have a dish set up which allows them to still view Star Plus 24/7.
I do agree with the first commenter though, I remember an incident when I was in tenth grade, about five years ago or so, when two tiny first graders walked by and oen was eagerly saying, “Itni achi prem kahani thi!” I was so startled to hear something like this from such a small child. If women want to watch these shows then fine but at least don’t let children view the show as well, it only serves to pollute their mind.Recommend
Ban all you want, with the internet, dish and, dvd series, people will still get their hands on what they want to watch. A useless effort indeed. The Supreme Court should be focusing on getting rid of the militancy that’s ripping our nation apart. Besides, if you watch the Pakistani dramas closely, you’ll notice that the Pakistani dramas are challenging the conservativeness of this society a lot more than the constant enforcement of oppressive stereotypes by the Indian dramas. I’ve seen more women work, dance, drink, smoke, move out alone, raise a child alone on Pakistani dramas than the Indian soaps. So think, just because something is Indian, doesn’t mean its terrible by default. For those of you who feel that your sisters are in safe hands, think again, you might not like their new liberal philosophies. I guess, this ban could, after all, have some positive social changes for our women at least.Recommend
Iam not happy with the ban..India is a financial giant with 1 billion people..Its TV content has been indigenous whereas our channels have shamelessly copied it for years..With the ban in place ,our channels dnt have to improve on their work much because the main competitor(india)is out of equation ..Iam also worried of the ban on indian movies in future…To be honest ,all our singers got popularity after working in bollywood..If we ban their content then they may do the same on our artists..End of the day ,we will be big losers..Recommend
Vaahed Indian dramas pose no threat to Pakistani dramas when it comes to creativity, substance and well written plays… Pakistan wins that competition hands down. Just because there are jahil people out there who prefer the melodrama and idiotic plots of starplus, this does not mean we in Pakistan are making worse dramas. This ban is GREAT news, India does not broadcast Pakistani dramas on their television…neither should we.Recommend
@Faisal
I Agree with your point i Do watch Disney Channel
But don’t you think itx a serious matter ..! We don’t even give attention towards this but it has a great impact in our society.
Was i was a child we use to watch the Cartoon and some Magic stories, like Superman , Spiderman but now even in my Home my little sis 10 years old use to watch all these daily TV Soap..! thats really not good for them at least in such a small age..!
they use to take the words like ” Woh Maa bane wali hy ” in our society we do not talk these type of topics infront of childs.! Hope ppl understand where We are going.!Recommend
Too much narrow-minded comments here. Especially the comment about Indian languages corrupting Pakistan knocked me out!
Lets not forget that Urdu is also an Indian language imported from Uttar Pradesh, where it evolved from the local Hindustani dialect (Khariboli etc). It was imported into the region that is Pakistan only recently. And, it is most definitely not native to Pakistan (except for the Mohajirs).
So, should we go back to speaking only Punjabi, Seraiki, Hindko, Sindhi, etc, which are the only languages native to Pakistan.
We can fool ourselves of our separateness from our arch enemy. But, history cannot be changed for whims of mere mortals. Sorry.
AhmedRecommend
The Indians probably don’t care whether their dramas/movies are shown in Pakistan, or not. As they probably make little money showing their work in Pakistan anyway (especially, with the Pakistani rupee being worth next to nothing).
Now, if only we can stop folks in Lahore pirating all the Indian stuff anyway and secretly watching at home. Of course, that can never be done, since the Indian cultural power draws us mesmerizingly like a flies to a ripe banana.
AmiraRecommend
@ vaahed & Amira
I don’t support ban on Indian channels but from your examples and language it appears to me that you are quite ignorant of Pakistani plays etc like our Indian neighbours are! Your perception of India doesn’t sound familiar either….Recommend
I think Pakistani officials should get some independent observers (like Mauritian Indians or Sri Lankans) and make them watch both type of channels. In the end, they should decide which channels have better quality. I am quite sure that Pakistani plays will win as our TV content is mostly indiginous and Indian ones are a very bad copy. Also, Pakistanis watch Indian channels for fun but don’t feel any cultural power. That is why we have seen DEATH of Sari and Bindi in Pakistani society from mid 70s onwards (after VCR started showing Indian films).Recommend
Indian Muslims also watch these channels and TV shows in a greater degree. But, they practice the purest version of Islam in the world(By that I mean most tolerant version). No Indian Muslim has been linked to Al-Qaeda, for example.
There is a saying,”“Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.”
Also, everyone should read Amar Chitra Katha its really nice.. Its all moral stories. Pakistanis need it more than any.Recommend
R. Qureshi,
Taare Zameen Par and Om Shanti Om was released on the same date. More people watched OSO than TZP. Ultimately its their choice. Freedom of Choice. Sound familiar?Recommend
i thnk thy bned these chnlz for their channels publicty .. n thts too mean .Recommend
the supreme court has taken a good step for cutting down the Indian channels. it had been long before we put our foot down.the only problem is that there is nothing on the television for the young teenagers to watch.they really dont have interest in politics or animated cartoons like shown on cartoon network. Disney was one of the channels which they could watch and enjoy in their free time but that too is off air.its just a request to put it back on as all people of all ages do need a source of relaxation other that the internet which is becoming very common among the teenagers.
we do wish to see a positive response from the prema soon.Recommend