MicroPakistan

Karachi. Lahore. Islamabad.

Yes, fame. It is readily available to anyone appearing on the multitudes of new TV channels and radio stations as VJ’s and RJ’s. Let me just clarify from the outset that my feelings on the issue don’t arise out of jealousy. Trust me, no matter how famous these people get I am much more satisfied in the position I am right now. This is not my kind of fame.

So, let’s start off with VJ’s. Their purpose is to come on one of the music related channels and provide entertainment. The package includes good-looking guys, pretty girls, fluent English, skimpy clothes at times, designer outfits and a huge amount of confidence. You would definitely need confidence to do what VJ’s in Pakistan do. I don’t have any problem with the way they provide this entertainment (for eg. Cute looking girls wearing skimpy clothes). I have a problem with the kind of entertainment they provide.

Most programs on MTV and The Musik are devoid of any kind of intellectual depth. They are not funny, educating, enlightening, or for that matter interesting. They are simply dull. What makes it worse is that they are catering to a certain class whose everyday lives and mannerisms they are trying to mirror.

However, they are being packaged as programs for the entire nation. Now, the problem is that majority of the nation does not understand the language that these programs are conducted in too well. So, for the rest of the people it’s just eye-candy.

No doubt, there are a lot of VJ’s out there who speak Urdu relatively well, but a lot of them conduct their shows completely in English.

The music industry in Pakistan is growing rapidly. It is having a great influence on our youth, specially the middle classes. The problem is that the VJ’s seem to share this influence and a lot of what they say and do is absorbed by the masses.

There used to be this show called Café Current on Indus Music sometime ago (haven’t seen it recently, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve scrapped it). Someone had sent a letter from Rahim Yar Khan. Upon reading that both the female VJ’s started laughing and then one of them stopped to say, ‘Oh well! That’s also a part of our country. It’s good! It’s good!’.I didn’t get the joke, but understood the depth of their sense of humour. They were making fun of one of the people keeping their show on air. That’s irony.

MTV is an international brand. It sells itself the same way McDonald’s or Pizza Hut sell themselves. But the latter have made changes in their menus to incorporate Pakistani influences. MTV, however hasn’t done that and will not do. We are happy to accept it as it is just because its MTV. Girls in skimpy clothes passing dull remarks and being silly with people calling-in is okay with us.

What I find most unpleasing is that 10 years down the road the current crop will be considered the pioneers in their field, just like Nazia and Zoheb were in pop and Junoon in rock. I am sure all of you would agree the current crop of VJ’s are nowhere close to those past icons of the music industry and are only in this job because they can’t get their heads around anything else.

There are some decent VJ’s who are trying to do their job honestly and are committed to providing entertainment. The names that spring to mind are Mani, Wiqar Ali Khan, and the brilliant Fasi Zaka (who’s not really a VJ, but an interviewer).

A lot of people argue that at least they get to see good looking people on TV. I am not a party-pooper and if that was case I would have loved for these shows to go on. My problem is that none of these VJ’s are so special that you won’t see people as, or more, good looking walking on the streets (case in point: Aurora sisters of India – They’re hot). Well, I guess in some parts of the country seeing any women is better than no women (case in point: NWFP), but still the remote control for all these channels lies in the three main urban centres. Karachi. Lahore. Islamabad. And I’ve seen much better looking people on the streets of these three cities then on the TV screens. So the looks factor can’t be it.

So then why are we sitting and watching these people feed us the same crap over and over again?? I honestly don’t know. It’s not like we don’t have a choice. We do have a choice. Next time you see any of these shows coming on TV flip the channel. Don’t watch it. Don’t insult your intelligence. Most people coming on these channels are only there for fame, not to entertain.

I call it cheap fame.

P.S. I forgot about the RJ’s. I like them. You can’t see them and so they can only entertain you with their voices, not looks. So to keep people glued to what they are saying most of them apply their knowledge, humour and intellect.