Democratic Dispensation

Democratic Dispensation

Democratic dispensation has been an important function of media in Pakistan. By performing its duties, media, both print and electronic, serves the cause of democracy through educating and making people aware about democratic values, working of state institutions, as well as the political parties and always changing norms.

Following are the Main Points of Democratic Dispensation of media:



Models described in class discussion:

Components of old Model:

Government

Society

Media/press

New model and its components:

Government/legislation





Executive Judiciary

Media





Society/communities



Discuss the aforementioned model in light of following points:

1. No institution or component of model operate in isolation, they work in collaboration and are dependent on each other.

2. Media serves the public interest, meaning thereby, it always focuses the society and its interest.

3. Legislation is the other component towards whom the media has the most responsibility and obligations than the executive and judiciary.

4. Judiciary often issues directions to media but it is not supposed to regulate media or draw any framework for media working.

5. Only legislation have the authority to draw or amend the legal framework for media operations.

6. Executive is the component towards which media plays the watchdog role most of the times.

These are the few relationships media have with other components in a democracy. Working under this framework potentially serves the democracy.



Democracy Impossible without free media

England is the known origin of modern democracy. As the democracy strengthened, the media got more liberties too. As a result of this, democracy and free media are supposed part and parcel. And media freedom has become the standard of democracy across the world.

Pakistan is a constitutional democracy, and Constitution of 1973’s Article 19 ensure freedom of press/media in capacity of essential obligation towards democracy.

Hence, respecting media freedom is a constitutional binding. Utilizing this liberty media has the duty to serve public interest by safeguarding and strengthening democracy.

In a democracy media is treated as Fourth Estate Pillar. It is considered as important as any other institution of the state which sustains a relation between masses and government.



Media as channel between the governed and governors

Media is the channel between the governed and governors. Government communication to masses through media while masses do the same through media. This dissemination of messages take place on daily basis and no state can function without such mechanism of communication between the governed and governors.



Assertion of humanitarian rights

Human rights have been central to media coverage. Consistent coverage of human rights issues by media has made people aware of their rights, as well as obligation of institutions towards dispensation of their rights.

Media also emphasizes provision of fundamental rights to every citizen in accordance with law and constitution.

Examples: right to education, right to vote, to elect representatives, right to travel, right to livelihood, right to plead and justice, etc.

Media as democratic inclusion

Media has given representation to marginalized groups, such as:

Ethnic groupings

Regional groupings

Political groupings,

Religious groupings

Ideological groupings

These and some other groups have been empowered by media which has given them representation to them and let them enter into the national stream of power.



Rule shift from military to civilian



Media served the democracy tremendously by helping movements for restoration of democracy. Interestingly, both print and electronic media have played their role in their regard proactively.

In first decade of 21st century, it was Pakistan electronic media which showed great urge for democracy and put an unprecedented struggle for restoration of democracy against a military dictator, Pervaiz Musharraf.





Media popularizing audience



Media popularizing itself by giving them space to express and share their personal experience with masses.

Individuals are gaining confidence for being given space on media and heard.

This enhances their loyalty and desire to stay within the democratic system of governance.

Media perform these tasks through gate-keeping, wherein it hold views discouraging for democratic system; it also plays role of watchdog by highlighting faults of system, policies or wrongdoings of high-ups in order to enhance peoples trust and confidence on democratic system.

Other points

Public motivation

Articulating public demands

Media strengthening national integration

Education and awareness

Eradicating poverty

(To explain these points, take help from class discussion.)