Who invented the art, the trend and the science of using government advertising to twist the arms of the media when required and to bribe the media-owners into ‘behaving with responsibility’ may not be known to most. I am talking strictly of media-owners, not of the reporters, analysts and columnists that are paid to do what they do. There is off course a category among them that is comprised of double-wage earners. Meaning thereby two pay-rolls— one declared and the other undeclared (or clandestine). There may be some who are triple-wage earners. The third pay-master may be an alien.
But my subject is not these exceptionally practical and pragmatic souls. I am talking of the practice of bribing the media. Also of twisting the arms.
There were times when by media, one meant the Press. The electronic media happened to be non-existent. Radio was strictly government-owned. Television too. The first picture on TV screen in Pakistan appeared in early 1964 in Lahore. Tariq Aziz was the first announcer if I remember correctly. I was at that time Editor of Daily Kohistan. And I witnessed the fall of the great newspaper after its share of government advertising was blocked as punishment for supporting Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. I was also director of the company that owned the newspaper. In fact I was incharge of Advertisement Department too.
Even as a journalist I have always known the dynamics of advertising and the role it plays in controlling the media.
As founder of the country’s largest ‘advertising agency group’ my knowledge of the means and methods of ‘regulating the polices of the newspapers and channels’ is practically first-hand.
In 2001, I quit advertising as a professional, and handed over the management and ownership of the group to my sons who turned out to be thorough-bred practitioners of the art of serving as bridge between the government and the media.
I was a terrible failure in that area. Let me admit that. But I certainly know how our Free Media utilizes its power to oblige those who flood in billions though advertising, and those who depend on the media for knowing the truth and getting educated.
