Interview with Khalid Chandio

Interview with Khalid Chandio Bureau chief of Sindh TV

By Sadam Solangi

Khalid Chandio is a journalist, anchorperson and ex Left wing activist. He is old Hyderabadian, who ahve been living in the suburbs of the city. Chandio was born at Bachal Chandio village (Qasimabad), and got earlier education from Ismail Soomro School Qasimabad. He did his matriculation from Noor Muhammad High School, intermediate from Muslim College, Masters in Sociology from Sindh University. He spent fifteen years as worker in Left wing progressive party (Communist Party of Pakistan). He started the career as journalist from the Daily Khadim-e-Wattan an eveninger of Kawish group some fifteen years ago. He also served as computer operator in Ibrat newspaper. He is currently serving as bureau Chief, Director, Administrator and Anchor in Sindh TV.

Q: Why did you join this field of media?

A: As I was a left wing political activist, therefore I had deep knowledge regarding social and public issues and conflicts in the society. To understand and explore the state and public issues, along with my livelihood, I got space in journalism and availed it.

Q: Is Sindhi media playing its constructive role in our Sindhi society, if not why? If yes how?

A: There is a progressive and constructive role of print and electronic media in our Sindhi society. It plays an inevitable role to spread the knowledge and information about economy and expose the social evils and interpret, evaluate and analyse the political issues of society. Sindhi had been vocal in taking up the problems of down trodden people and Sindh issues. At the same time, some demerits are also there in Sindhi media. It, somehow, makes compromise with the status quo and feudal or political power on the sake of problems of lower class or unprivileged class.

Q: What is difference between media of 1980-90 and current media?

A:The sources to obtain information in media of 1980-90 were limited and  Print media was the only source for common man for easy access information and what was happening in the country as well as in over all in the world. Now due to modern technology and the best use of intellect in current media, common people feel no difficulty in accessing the information and knowledge. This has also made news-gathering easy. At the same time the audience and reader has also become more demanding

Q: How you will define freedom of expression in Sindhi media? Share your opinion.

A: Except the fundamental conflicts and controversies in the society, yes it is free in expanding the knowledge about the public issues in society. Yet it is not free in the matters of religion, establishment, and other policies of country. Urdu media, in comparison with Sindhi media, uses the freedom of expression on above mentioned issues because of some privileges to Urdu language.

Q: Media considered as the fourth pillar of state, what is status of Sindhi media in this regard? 

A:In the state of Pakistan, our Sindhi media is small in size and volume. Sindhi media has not enough freedom to broadcast the live programs of government policies and other activities. It would not be wrong to say that it is not fourth pillar of state.

Q: What is position of ethics in  media? Is it practiced properly? 

A: Media is not practicing as per the code of conduct and ethics in the state at all. The lord system or feudal system is dominant factor in media.Thus indirectly or directly it is governed by those powerful authorities of society. On the name of freedom media has forgotten its laws and ethics that it broadcasts without predicting or forecasting the negative influences and consequences on the basis of sentiments of people.

Q: How media is the mirror of society? Elaborate with specific reference of Sindhi media. 

A:  Yes, media is mirror of society. It is the reflection of social problems and diseases. Through media, people raise the voice against the illicit acts. Such as, Kala Bagh dam, 1991 issue, Sindhi language issue, misconducts of landlords, and the issues of misbehavior of police in the countryside, and only media reflects these issues. As media broadcast the Kasur issue of sex scandal of innocent children properly.

Q: Is there any message for youth of Sindh?

A: “It is easy to think, it is hard to act, but the hardest thing in the world is to act in accordance with your thinking.” Youth of Sindh must be practical in all the fields, especially, journalism. The deep study of things helps us to analyze the things in the society and in our young generation there is dire need of study in general perspective along with the specialization. The skills and expertness in modern technology is also important as well as necessary to keep a pace with other nations in the world. Our youth has to get out of imaginative and fancy world and participate in the rational and logical existing world. And this can enhance and enable our youth to be more competitive and challenging in the state.

Practical work carried under supervision of Sir Sohail Sangi