History of Media and Journalism in the Sub-Continent

Over the past two or three centuries we had seen innovations, inventions and developments all around the world and almost in all fields of life which we are experiencing currently. Journalism and media are also one of those fields which came into existence, progressed with the passage of time and then proved their worth and importance for any nation and its common man’s life. Both of these fields were not as exciting, couple of centuries ago, as they are now because at that time they possessed a different meaning and ideology. The history of journalism and media varies from one part of the world to the others and this essay is only focussed on such history in the subcontinent.

Beginning in the Subcontinent

In the sub-continent, journalism started with preliminary handwritten news sheets, prepared by government news-writers during the Muslim rule. They were written, dated, appeared at regular and frequent intervals. Such news sheets provided the rulers with information from all corners of the empire, regarding public occurrences, current-events, mischief in societies and hardships faced by the people. From this information, the rulers used to take decisions and plan initiatives to uphold good governance. In short, the early hand-written sheets proved effective social mobilization vehicle to hold peace and contentment in the empires.

The legendary Mughal emperors enhanced and strengthened it to the superior degree of excellence. News-writers or stringers were assigned in all the areas of the empire to collect news and assemble it in the paper for the court of King. Most prominent and honest individuals were designated for such posts, they earned good salaries and their appointment or abolition was solely, with the King himself. For this reason, they remained far from the influence of provincial governors and reported whenever necessary, the bitter facts of governors and other officials also. Since, it was possible that the stringers would work for bribes; agents behind them were employed for their surveillance. So, there remained no chance of fake reports at that time.

With the downfall of Mughal rule, Britain started offensive invasion into the subcontinent. Wherever hatred for British surfaced, people started privately-owned secret handwritten papers in order to induce and stimulate more hatred against East India Company. In the revolution of 1857, such papers played an effective role.

ARRIVAL OF PRINT MEDIA

The first ever printing press was set up by the British at Bombay in 1674. In the end of eighteenth century, printing presses were installed at Madras and Calcutta. The first printed newspaper of sub-continent appeared in 1780, with the name of Hicky Gazette, published by James August Hicky. For the reason that James Augustus Hicky was against East India Company and always brought forth the corruption of Government, he was soon jailed. But, Hicky continued editing in the jail too. So, in November 1781, a newspaper with name of “India Gazette” was introduced which was pro-Government and against Hickey. With this haphazard changing scenario, many new newspapers came on the scene. Some supported the government and others strived for freedom. Within twenty years of the installation of printing press in sub-

continent, dozens of (English language) newspapers and periodicals appeared in the cities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras however, readership was limited to British because of the difference of language. These newspapers in general included poetry, tales and short compositions, translated Persian stories and sometimes even the translated versions of native-poets. Moreover, they brought to light the culture, qualities and mischief of the British residents of that time.

Before 1857, the British government promulgated four press laws to curb newspapers. They tried their best to control prevailing press and strived to meld public opinion in favor of the then government. But the endeavours of journalists and editors remained a major barrier in British intentions. Before 1857, the British government promulgated four press laws to curb newspapers. They tried their best to control prevailing press and strived to meld public opinion in favour of the then government. But the endeavours of journalists and editors remained a major barrier against British intentions.

Then there was a time in history of sub-continent when the people had to wait for six months to get the information about the Britain and the rest of the world. As the newspapers used to reach through ships to the sub-continent but however the new techniques and new innovations in the field of journalism has given birth to the different forms of mass media different kinds of media and at the same time it has also left a lot of impacts on society. No doubt after the introduction of different forms of mass media channels the way of communication and dispatching of information has been greatly advanced.

Mass Media

When we talk about media, we must know its history. Media history is based on PRINT media or we can say that it is the oldest media of mass communication. Greater masses can abstract the information after its emergence. They allow reader to control exposure. In the beginning (1947), Pakistan started a weak press with very little rules and regulations. Not a single newspaper was published in East Pakistan and Baluchistan, but in the NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa) had two daily newspapers. The newspapers which were owned by Muslims who had migrated to Pakistan include Daily Azad and Moring news (shifted to Dhaka), Jang, dawn and Anjam (in Karachi). After Pakistan came in to his existence, a number of newspapers were published, but due to financial problems and many other reasons, they did not continue their publication such as ROSHNI, INQALAB and MUSALMAN. English press was not so strong at that time due to problems like lack of education and development. Not a single daily had been published from the area of East Pakistan from 1947 to 1971. The first news agency was APP (Associated Press of Pakistan). It was established in 1947. It was a private news agency since 1947 to 1961. Government took its control on 1961 by an ordinance. Except APP, there are six more agencies in Pakistan: PPI (Pakistan Press International) 1968, PA (Pakistan Agency) 1992, UNA (United news agency) and NNI (News Network International) 1992. With the passage of time the role of media is increasing day by day.

Also when we talk about dissemination of information & entertainment, mass media can be the best answer, but however if we see the broader aspect of media, we came to know that media is not all about informing & entertaining people. The time is arrived where the collective strength

of any nation can be judged from its media strength. So as a matter of fact the passion for power of any nation is not just by getting stronger in military terms but also from the factor of media strength these days. It is however worth saying that electronic media in the recent few years got extensive boom & a number of TV channels entered Pakistani media circle. But however on the other hand majority practicing journalists are still unable to get the fruit of this development.

In the world of internet you are not bound to pay for what you read to feed your mind with the latest happenings of the world, having a notebook in your palm while relaxing at your drawing room or sitting in your office in front of your computer. with internet, it takes a couple of seconds to access the news about a particular subject that you are interested in. with the extensive growth of online audience I am afraid by the conjecture that the future of print journalism seems very limited when it came to readership.

Conclusion

We can say that the journalism and media had came a long way towards the current picture that it posses today. The main purpose of objectivity has been obsolete and now the purpose of media is to portray the one side picture of a nation or to present an artificially knitted story to earn bags of money.