Association
of Pakistani Professionals [AOPP], with
the collaboration of Organization of Pakistani
Students at Columbia University, is organizing a
brainstorming session," Pakistan and the Western
Media" at Columbia University on Saturday, January
24th, 2004 from 2:30pm to 5pm.
AOPP, in the last eighteen months of existence have
sent hundreds of letters, e-mails, and faxes to major
publications like New York Times, Washington Post,
Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, and Economist
and to a host of other smaller publications across
United States.
Initially we were ignored but gradually we have
improvised and now in the last few months we have
started to provoke responses from columnists and
publications. And in the last few weeks we managed to
elicit responses from New York Times. But this is no
moment for complacency. This is time to raise
difficult questions to understand modern media and to
move beyond the usual conspiracy theories of Jewish
propaganda.
We have realized that western media is a gargantuan,
multiheaded hydra and in many ways we still do not
understand its structure, operations, relations and
dynamics. Why for instance western media, on both
sides of the Atlantic, launched an unprecedented,
coordinated attack against Pakistan's nuclear program
in the run up to SAARC? Was it to pressurize Islamabad
into submitting on other fronts?
On Sunday, 4th January 2004, both 'New York Times' and
'Times London' carried full page sensational reports
alleging that Pakistan is the hub of proliferation
worldwide. These reports, without anything new, only
capped similar stories that were appearing for many
months. Why such synchronization? Such, Timing? what
was the objective? Who coordinates? What interests
influence media? What economics lies behind such
moves? could advertising markets, and large blocks of
readership influence what media preaches? Why such
stories do not appear about Israel and India even when
major failures take place? How special interests and
lobbies prevent potentially damaging news from
appearing in apparently a free market? Is the market
for ideas and information free?
But more importantly, is there a relationship between
media and the western governments? How come state
department decides to appreciate Pakistan while
unnamed intelligence sources keep on planting desired
stories? But we know that Dr.Kelly, in England, had to
commit suicide after talking with BBC against the
interests of the Blair government; so how to explain
what happens in Washington every now and then? Is the
media in US freer than UK or a different relationship
exists here?
And above all what is the relationship between PR
companies and media? Experts believe that on any given
day a significant percentage of a major publication
consists of PR inserts; most papers had to ask PR
companies to send something to fill up the pages; and
this is more true in case of Sunday editions, and
special supplements. What is the implication of this
relationship? could it be possible that special
interest groups and lobbies also exercise undue
influence on media through PR companies? how all this
effects us? Our identity and interests as a Diaspora?
The meeting on 24th January is going to address such
painful and difficult questions. Our selected Panel
will not be there to lecture but to raise questions.
Executive Board of AOPP believes that we have answers
and solutions in the deeper recesses of our minds and
by raising analytical questions we might leave with
better understanding-and understanding that helps us
to develop better and effective strategies to engage
media. Our modern day Jihad is not to cry hoarse
against the media but to understand it so that we can
shield ourselves and our future generations.
You are requested to think and reflect on these issues
in advance and come prepared with your comments. AOPP
will appreciate analytical questions rather than
personal statements and long comments.
Looking forward to meet you all
Executive and Editorial Boards
Association of Pakistani Professionals
New York
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
