The effect of media in converting people is largely overrated. It does not convert so much as it reinforces.
KARACHI: This is with regard to Zohra Yusuf’s article of October 19 titled “Media’s role in promoting religiosity”.
I would like to ask one question. Who is watching these religious programmes? Obviously it is the people who already subscribe to the ideas and thoughts presented in them. There is a concept in mass communication — ‘selective exposure’ — which in effect says that people tend to watch or read that material which is similar to and which reinforces what they already think and believe.
Those who watch Aamir Liaquat or Zakir Naik are already in tune with what these speakers are saying. The effect of media in converting people is largely overrated. It does not convert so much as it reinforces what we already believe.
Shahida Kazi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2010.
