So how do you see role of media in promoting Literature and reading habits? How it is done in west? Is the coverage satisfactory?
Watched ‘Aunn Zara’ recently online and besides many of the positive things in the project, I noticed that they shown lead characters and Zara’s father reading books. Zara was reading ‘Safar-nama e Hind’, Zara’s Fauji father was reading a book on Kargil’ and then Aunn was also shown reading some English book.
I think such small things do promote reading habits as people do follow their favorite characters and their habits to some extent.
There used to be literary programs from PTV like ‘Pakistani adab saal ba saal’ discussing books published in Pakistan during a particular year, ‘Sukhanwar’- a program based on works and interviews of famous poets. We don’t see such programs any more, though we got so many channels who keep on covering stupid mahurats of some crap masala movies.
There was a trend of dramatising classic Urdu writers like Manto, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Bano Qudsia, etc. Back in 1990s, PTV produced two series ‘Qasmi Kahani’ and ‘Kahani Ghar’. This trend is still there, but commercial projects always get more ratings. Boltay Afsane from TV one didn’t get much attention than the projects like Humsafar.
There used to be a segment in Brunch with Bushra, where she used to introduce a book each week, but that was not a permanent segment in her program, after some time.
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
Thats an interesting point about competition. But it seems that they just recently realized about this competition or probably State owned PTV had no tension of this competition.
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
reading? what reading? soon it'll be the thin g of the past...kids are learning to get glued to their gadgets as early as age 3-5...one kid i know who is 4 years old and he knows how to use his mom's mobile apps and features.
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
reading? what reading? soon it'll be the thin g of the past...kids are learning to get glued to their gadgets as early as age 3-5...one kid i know who is 4 years old and he knows how to use his mom's mobile apps and features...
That kid's mom probably doesn't buy books for him/her. Kids generally love books and tend to get addicted to them.... if available, that is :D
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
possibly but why not father be equally guilty?
one day, someone gave him a book to with pictures, he tried to press on pictures with his finger…when nothing happened, he threw the book on the floor and grabbed the mobile!
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
My 7yo niece plays with her electronic tablet but also writes me handwritten letters in URDU and demands I write back handwritten letters and send her story books. You don’t GIVE them books. You have to SHOW them it is enjoyable to read. If parents are busy with phone, computer and TV all day, kids would follow.
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
i agree but the thing is after they reach an age where they see other kids having gadgets, sooner or later they will follow their peer…[not peer o murshid ]…reading book is on a sharp N steep decline, even in the western world. libraries are a true testimonials of that trend.
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
^ It is parents' responsibility to keep children interested in books. It doesn't take a lot of effort. Why are we looking towards television to encourage people to read?
Re: Role of media in promoting Literature / reading habits?
Agree that it should come from parents, schools, first, but there is a trend that people follow what their favorite characters does. I mean it sort of become trend and fashion what is properly portrayed in dramas. Today, it (book reading) looks an alien activity as we don't produce or built characters which are shown as book loving personalities.
It should not be shown as something imposed, it should be shown as a routine activity like they shown in 'Aunn Zara'. There was a scene in Nishan e Haider series where Aziz Bhutti Sahaheed went to library to return a book and librarian asked for fine due to late return. We see lots of scenes where expensive gifts (zewar, diamonds, etc) are exchanged. In real life we do exchange books as gifts as well. Such things should also be promoted to portray this as a normal activity.
Apart from not all people can afford or have time to visit book inauguration ceremonies or book fairs. While our media spent lot of time on revealing bakwaas filmi scandals of every Tom , Dick and Harry, events like Book Fair at Expo Centre don't get due coverage. These should be given coverage to boost interest.
