The Pakistani media scene is vibrant and lively, with prime time current affairs programmes a constant presence. Due to their aggressive style, these programmes have the potential to impact a viewer’s behaviour. Various studies have indicated that television competes with other sources of human interaction such as family, friends, and other social circles – in helping people develop perceptions about people and issues. Current affairs shows in particular have the power to influence the viewers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding themselves, and other people’s ethnicity, culture and ideologies.

In an ideal world, the media are expected to play a positive and constructive role through discourse and the exploration of various concepts. TV talk shows and current affairs programmes are usually conceptualised to highlight issues linked to politics, health, economy, government policies, education, diplomacy and socio-economic concerns.

A study published by the Global Media and Social Sciences Research Journal in 2021 analysed 225 Pakistani current affairs programmes in September and October 2020. The research indicated that seventy percent of those programmes centred around politics and less than one percent on education, health, development and economy. According to this study, “almost all programmes have adopted a similar format and the presenter creates more drama, decontextualised political issues and proved to be politically biased in some cases.”

Not all television programmes are bad, but research studies and data showing the negative effects of drama, offensive language and biases are convincing.

A paper titled A critical analysis of current affairs shows on Pakistan television news channels: A mirror or bamboozle of the society? published in June 2021 concluded that one of the most important but contentious products of news channels after news bulletins are talk shows, in which interpersonal conflicts and confrontation amongst guests are broadcast. Despite the controversies, these shows are popular amongst viewers and consumed on a regular basis.

The study found that a “majority of the respondents supported the argument that current affairs talk shows are a mirror to the society” despite showing their disliking for the way in which talk shows highlight the issues.

However, a large number of viewers also raise serious concerns regarding the content of such shows. The matters being reported can be negative, depressing and disastrous. Some viewers ask why the media focuses largely on the negative. It is, perhaps, negative news that draws more attention, more viewers and ultimatelyprofits. Since news channels are established with the intention of earning profit, public service can take a backseat.

According to studies conducted by Depaul University and Harvard Business School, negativity tends to have a greater impact than positivity.

But whydo we pay more attention to negative news than to positive news? ProfessorStuart Sorokaof Communication Studies and Political Science Department at the University of Michigansuggests that humans may be neurologically or physiologically predisposed towards focusing on negative information because the potential costs of ignoring negative information far outweigh the potential benefits of absorbing positive information.

Austin Perlmutter, author of Brain Wash,writes in his blog The Modern Brain that watching, reading or listening to the news can perpetuate the belief that the world is rapidly descending into disaster and chaos, even though many aspects of life have improved dramatically over the last few decades. According to Perlmutter, exposure to consistent, sensationalised pessimism and negativity has become the norm for those keeping up with the news.

Nevertheless, negative news is not the norm. News channels and TV programmes have an important role to play regarding awareness in society about social issues, deprived communities, financial corruption, lacunaein government policies and incompetence of public officials. There are programmes like AajShahzaibKhanzada KaySath, that have a format of a well-researched questionnaire and devote substantial time to social issues.

Also, journalists have a duty to report news irrespective of the outcome of their stories. This style of work sometimes comes under criticism. Some people hold the view that journalists are drawn to reporting bad news only because a sudden disaster is more compelling news than slow improvement. We often hear people say that they would prefer good news: but is that actually true?

Whether this is a bad thing or not is still unclear. “Focusing on negative information may be a perfectly reasonable way of managing a complex news environment,” Perlmutter states. According to him, we typically need to change our behaviour, or our assessment of politicians, when something goes wrong, not when something goes right. So unless we have an unlimited amount of time to pay attention to everything, we may be well-served by focusing on the information that requires a change on our part – provided that all that negativity does not also lead to overwhelming scepticism or disengagement.

The author is a staff member. He can be reached at warraicshehryar@gmail.com