More Bluntspeak - By Nadeem F. Paracha

Just as there is a serious lack of objectivity, responsibility or sometimes simple decency in most political TV talk shows, religious shows too are riddled with a warped display of what could best be described as narcissist anarchy. It is a reckless exhibition of love-for-the-self and loathing-for-the-other that overwhelms any realisation associated with the notion of consequences. Thus, some so-called religious talk shows, too, are adding to the already hysterical, self-righteous and dangerously paranoid concepts of morality and faith doing the rounds these days.

This leads to a rather potent point: many of the political and religious TV shows anchored by hosts who hold masqueraded sympathies for Islamists and TV shows in which televangelists passionately give western countries a convoluted verbal bashing, some even calling them economic terrorists. Ever noticed how each one of these shows are punctuated by a gazillion commercial breaks, most stuffed with commercials of products made by western multinationals?

I mean, if, say, the likes of Hamid Mir are always so incensed by western interference in, and influence over, our affairs and they are so sympathetic towards those fighting a war against the West, how can they allow their shows to be sponsored by western multinationals? The truth is that if there are no multinationals sponsoring their shows there will perhaps be no show at all.

A piece of advice to these brave souls and revolutionary media mujahids is to rise and be the first to set an example by boycotting the multinationals and their sponsorships. They should tell their seths that their shows will not accept advertising money from the economic lackeys of western imperialism perpetrating economic terrorism. Do the show free of cost in the larger interests of Islam and Pakistan!

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