If media doing anything wrong then who see them? Who report their wrong direction? Who highlight the issues of human rights in the marketing of the product on media?
The better answer to these questions is: The Social Media can play a watchdog role for main stream media.
Now a day, everyone realize that most of the TV man (television journalist, anchor, cameramen, editor, director and producer) is like same like a salesman, trying hard to sell a product. They perform publicity stunts to get attention of the people. Therefore every one of them try to make their product different from others, same is the case of Maya Khan.
For the last two week you would got the rumor about “Maya Khan in the chase of dating couple in parks”. Maya khan morning show is one of the topics which are discussed by the people/social media users as well as of newspapers in last two weeks.
Before this issue, I was worried that who will be watchdog for media, but after Jan 22, 2012, “An open letter to Maya Khan” by Mehreen Kasana I got the answer that Social Media can be a watchdog for Main stream media (Media).
Maya Khan was the host of Morning Show on SAMAA TV “Subah Saverey Maya Kay Sath”. Mostly the morning TV shows are watched by House Wife’s. The topic of the show for January 17th, 2012 was the “Dating couples in the parks”. As per Show format they have a team of about 20 individuals; including young and old age female and men. They went to parks; grab and harass the couples by asking their identity in the live show. In this Episode the faces are visible and easily recognizable. How the show was watched by the housewife and they enjoy the live chasing of the couple. As usual the video of the show was upload to the “Subah Saverey Maya Kay Sath” official YouTube channel.The faces of the couples were also visible in the uploaded videos.
An open letter to Maya Khan:
The issue was kicked in after January 22th of a open letter in response of these videos. Mehreen Kasana published a blog post on 22nd January, 2012 “An open letter to Maya Khan”. The blog/letter was also shared on Facebook, Twitter and the outrage grew. People were shocked at the level of intrusion and vigilantism on display. The people react on the moral policing. In this show they disgraced the individuals live on TV and then on YouTube.
In wordpress.com and Express Tribune Blog
In the blog she protested this moral policing also pointed out that “this kind of programming is likely to also lead to legal action for violation of dignity of man under the Constitution – which legal action us as signatories will support, propagate and promote.”
That Blog was the top 6 blog of the wordpress.org ranking in world on 23rd January 2012. Within 24 hours the reader Comments reached to 305 and all the comment is against the Maya Khan.
In Express Tribune Blog a question was asked at the end of blog post: “Do you feel Maya Khan was justified in asking couples to show their nikahnama in a public park” and the 95 % people say No.
The video was deleted from the TV show official YouTube Channel before the evening on 23rd January, 2012 (right after 24 Hours of the blog). But the interested people about the issue, has download TV Show videos for evidences in future.
The Facebook page of Maya Khan was closed due to junks of comment on it.
Maya Khan on her show of Jan 23, 2012 acknowledged but she has not apologized on the issue. She was in the opinion that the act of chasing the couple is was not a wrong act. But if somebody is hurt, I am sorry for it.
Then 28 jan-2012 Maya Khan and her team fired by Samma TV and the next day termination notice Issued to Maya khan Morning show all team. The content regarding the “Subah Saverey Maya Kay Sath” was deleted/blocked by the admin of the show i.e. YouTube official Channel, Facebook fan page etc.
The journalists also take part in the issue in their news article. Following are related news and opinions of the journalist:
Wusatullah Khan in BBC Urdu website news story , Jan 22, 2012: ‘Aap tau naib khuda hain’
BBC Urdu audio report, Jan 23, 2012: ‘TV channel ka anti-dating squad’
BBC Urdu Radio report, Jan 24, 2012: ‘Sawerey ka chapa’ par sakht tanqeed’ –
Vigil-aunties (a term coined by Anthony Permal) by Bina Shah, Jan 24, 2012
In the parks of Karachi, by Ejaz Haider, Jan 24, 2012
On Media ethics and responsibility - Afia Salam and Faisal Qureshi’s online talk show 247, they discussed the need for a legal framework.
After fired and termination.
Maya Khan Fired: First success of social media in Pakistan , Monday, January 30th, 2012 4:46:20 by Faisal Farooq
Impact on Maya Khan:
After raising the issue of the “Chasing dating couples” the picture of Maya Khan also circulated on the FaceBook and other social media. In these pictures, Maya Khan enjoying with Boys in different occasions. It was presumed to be date pictures. But Maya Khan declared them as her family’s pictures. However this is also wrong act to share his family photos, but here is a message to Maya Khan that if you are exposing someone live on TV, than you will have to face the power of social media for exposing your personality as well. Its social Media and everyone has its own gate keeper and they are owners of their pages. You can’t stop them.
Before the 17th January, 2012 episode the Maya Khan’s show was already exposed in an episode of “Fake Saint”. In that show Maya Khan show the man with some supernatural qualities. In that the man was talking that Muhammad (PBUH) used to come into his dreams and forced him to spread its supernatural activities to others. The man tells some fake stories i.e. the Name of Allah and Holy Words (Kalma) on his back, forehead and chest; the floating Holy Quran in the air, The rose and fresh milk, the name of Allah on breads.