Chowrangi

Before I start my comments on the subject, I would like to have a disclaimer. I am reading Dawn off and on since I started reading, recommended by elders and teachers to improve linguistic skills. Even now, when I do not have much spare time, I go through the paper every Sunday, checking out the Magazine and Careers sections. Dawn the newspaper has built a cult following which The News, Daily Times and others are unable to break. For some reason, Dawn to me represents the pre-partition, Victorian era while the new comers are more in Pinglish/New Age sort of style.

Some time back Dawn Group launched Dawn News, a TV channel claimed to be Pakistan’s first English news channel. While the idea was good, its execution was not. Dawn management imported anchors and newscasters from abroad, apparently the qualifications they searched for were foreign degrees and accents. I am pretty sure most of those who came on board had to fake accents to get their foot through the door. I still don’t understand why this strategy was applied because anyone who want to listen to “accented” English can always go check BBC or CNN.

Cafe Payala has very interesting round up of what Dawn News is going through these days. The lack of direction, mismanagement and nepotism has resulted in burst of firings, good talent leaving the floor and trash promoted to take their place. This is and will severely affect the performance and credibility of Dawn News and viewers will seek alternatives, if they have not already done so.

As Naveen Naqvi, the model-cum-TV artist turned Newscaster turned Morning Show Host turned Journalist and Twitter user, tweeted yesterday, “No longer with DawnNews and in the market for a job.” - Dawn News going down the Drain? eh?

Other posts by Kashif Aziz

• Taliban of Punjab Police - March 3rd, 2010
• Chile Earthquake, Hawaii Tsunami and Social Media - February 28th, 2010
• President Zardari apologized for childbirth in rickshaw - February 26th, 2010
• Reason of Traffic Jams in Karachi - February 19th, 2010
• Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Top Most Taliban Leader Caught in Karachi - February 16th, 2010
• PTCL Launches Largest Data Center of Pakistan - February 15th, 2010
• Reflections On Twin Blasts in Karachi - February 6th, 2010
• Aafia Siddiqui convicted, may be sentenced for 60 years - February 4th, 2010
• Has Karachi Gone To Dogs? - January 27th, 2010
• Earthquake devastated Haiti need our help - January 17th, 2010