GEO NEWS

A break through is emerged in the traditional news casting with the origin of Geo News, a Karachi-based Pakistani news channel, and a part of a big conglomerate and media giant of Pakistan The Jang Group. They have played a very vital role in shaping up human thoughts and perceptions and have been very profitable business so far.

The channel started its broadcasting in November 2005 and has millions of Urdu-language viewers around the globe. Geo News has been a pioneer satellite channel in the news channel market and has successfully made a place in the hearts and minds of the Pakistani people.

The channel is structured in such a way that it took place a complete shape of an electronic visual news show covering news, features, columns, reviews, advertisements, discussions on cultural, religious, social, economical, financial, criminal, ethical and political issues both in serious and humorous aroma as a substitute of the news paper.

To keep the audience current about the global happening, the news are managed in different shades according to their nature and importance through news alert, breaking news, news bulletin, headlines etc. For opinion forming, investigation and research based programs with solo views are aired like Aaj Kamran Khan Ke Sath, Crisis Cell and FIR.

To create rationale, both sides of the picture are ignited through different talk shows like Capital Talk, 50 Minute, Jirgah and Choraha. However to keep the people enlighten; the humorous, cultural and social programs and features have also been carved, and the greatest example of it is Hum Sub Umeed Se Hain; and other programs like 51% and Geomentary, whereas economical issues are covered under Kharchay Ka Charcha and Bazaar; and business news analysis under 1 se 2.

Aik Din Geo K Sath is a program which is one of its own kinds, in which Sohail Waraich spends a whole day with one of the celebrity. Score depicts the sport events. The religious aspects are penetrated with progressive dimensions in GHAMIDI and Alim Online.

Geo News is currently the market leader and is very aggressive with regards to maintaining its status as No.1. They invest extensively in latest technology and equipment to ensure good quality persistent programming. For example, during the lawyer’s movement when their channel was banned in the country, it took them a few seconds to shift to a different satellite and continue their transmission from their Dubai Bureau.

Geo News on the other hand focuses on encouraging the audience to form “opinion” which is very obvious from their tag line “Geo aur Jeenay Do.” They show the conditions of the country as they are even if requires for them to go against the whims of the government. They want their audience to think and form opinions. Geo News recently is being the subject of a great deal of controversy with regards to portraying a negative image of the country just to create hype and gain revenue.

Geo has been so successful in their approach is that; this is what appeals to the masses. They are mostly not interested in news for the sake of news; they do want “sensationalization” so they can form their own opinions. They can share their views about everything with the rest of the people. And the key factor of Geo’s success is that it places the common man first. Today even a barber is well aware of the parliament proceedings.

Few of the major programs aired on Geo are analyzed below:

NEWS:

The channel remains ahead among competitors to stay current by giving updates to audience through news, yet hyper display results the undesired panic at mass level and sketches out a negative image of the country in the outer world. Some coverage of social events become ethically notorious e.g. Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza’s marriage.

AJJ KAMRAN KHAN K SATH:

Aaj Kamran Khan K Sath- a research based program is hosted by Kamran Khan which highlights and unveils the crucial political, social and criminal happenings of the day which shocks the concerns.

CAPITAL TALK:

The program is hosted by Hamid Mir where he discusses and debates the latest day to day political issues pertaining in the country with the panel of politicians and civil personals.

F.I.R:

Inspired by some of the Indian detective programs, crime reports are displayed with a different taste under FIR reflecting good production value. They investigate the major crime scenes happening in the country during the week and highlights mostly reported crimes through chart named “Roznamcha”.

HUM SUB UMEEED SE HAIN:

The star of the cap is the comedy feature Hum Sub Umeed Se Hain by renowned and unique writer Dr M Younis Butt has command on parody, humor and satire. The program is viewed and admired the most by all segments of viewers. It cuts scenic critics upon the political and social odds.

It has also been observed that Geo News is in the bad books of the viewers because of cluttered advertisements during very sensitive and serious news. The content normally looses its effectiveness and serious attention due to heavy bombardment of ads. In spite of the fact, Geo News has captivated the market in a very short span of its electronic birth giving the most updated news to the viewers, which made Geo the most trusted news channel that even international media seeks its assistance to get Pakistani footages.

Roshni Zahid