Screens and Entertainment
In March 2002, the PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic MediaRegulatory Authority) Ordinance saw the opening up ofthe media to privately owned TV channels and FM radiostations. Very soon, audiences were exposed to a slewof news and current affairs talk shows and entertainmentprogramming ranging from music, sports, food and, ofcourse, the ubiquitous Pakistani drama series.
FM channelsabounded, and a new generation was exposed to theenjoyment of radio. If this period was seen as one of boomingmedia, what followed less than 10 years later in the shapeof social media content and streaming services was evenmore explosive. The result? A relentless quest for content thatsticks; a slew of new content creators (Millennials and GenZers); a fundamental change in advertising formats; and afragmented audience scattered across multiple screens highon ad avoidance.
Leading the change was YouTube, providing a bridge foraudiences to migrate from TV to digital. At the same time,vloggers started uploading a stream of new content. Socialmedia platforms followed quickly, moving from static, textbasedposts to videos, a shift amplified by TikTok. Originallyseen as a low-brow medium suited to teenagers, TikTok hasamassed huge audiences across the generational divide andalong with Instagram, it is perhaps the most potent socialmedia advertising medium so far. Along the way, social mediaformats changed, moving from videos to reels.
In this mix, YouTube continues to provide end-to-end programming(audiences can watch the entirety of a programme), whilesocial media offers snippets of programming – although conceivablyone can almost watch an entire sitcom episode thanks toan algorithm that diligently pumps into our feeds more of whatwe like. The result is that Boomer or Gen Z audiences havechanged the way they consume content – which is free, whereand when they like and free to skip ads – forcing advertisers torepackage and refocus their communication. So far, advertisershave been unable to find the winning sticky formula, althoughthey maintain that their communication is effective. Maybe, butthey are unlikely to win any awards.
In content terms, the oft-criticised Pakistani drama remainsbeloved by audiences across generations and is keepingproduction houses in business. The stories remain mostlystereotypical and the number of episodes is ridiculously high. Yet,beloved they are, and with the global reach afforded by YouTube,they are worth the investments made in their production. Thissuccess may also account for the complacency that seeswinning formulas repeated again and again. Social media hasfostered a host of new content creators and podcasters. Not allhave talent, but those who do, need to be encouraged to gobeyond making reels. In this regard, Pakistan’s entertainmentindustry has a role and a duty to perform in terms of talentspotting and mentoring. It is perhaps in the confluence betweenthese new and passionate content creators and an industry that,despite some shortcomings, remains vibrant, that a reenergisedand vigorous Pakistani entertainment industry will emerge.
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