Topic:

Impact of Turkish Dramas on Pakistan.

Group members:

Ammaar Bin Saleem

Natasha Khan

Usbah Yousaf

Amna Mumtaz

Iqra Hannan

Saleha Tariq

Saleem 1

Ammaar Bin Saleem.

Impact of Urdu-Dubbed Turkish Dramas on Pakistani Society

Televising foreign content in the Pakistani media is not a novel event but examples can

be produced from years in the past when Indian channels were granted access to the television

sets of the masses in Pakistan. However, later it was found that such an easy and massive access

to the Indian channels made Pakistani culture vulnerable to the hands of the addiction to those

programs that were aired by the then famous Indian Family channels, Star Plus and Sony. In

addition to that, American sitcoms like Friends, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory,

Grey’s Anatomy and else are still being broadcasted on Star World in here. The question that

pops up now is why was the transmission of “Star Plus” & “Sony” abandoned in Pakistan while

the English channels like Star World still reach the publics. The immediate riposte that comes to

my mind is that all the dramas and the programs which were shown by Indian Channels were

able to overcome the most significant cultural barrier, Language. All the Indian content was

made in Hindi, a language that is not difficult to understand for the people of Pakistan and thus

made the Pakistani society more exposed to absorbing and copying parts of the Indian culture

that were portrayed in their dramas and programs.

But probably, the recent intervention in the Pakistani broadcast media by the Turkish

Dramas is by far the most hazardous intervention in society and culture than any previous

Saleem 2

intrusion in the industry. And mind the reason; the shows are being dubbed in the national

language Urdu,

making them remarkably understandable for the many. We as a team have unanimously agreed

to look into the matter of introducing Turk-dramas styled in the local language airing on

Pakistani Urdu entertainment TV channels. The reason we are looking into the matter is

that Pakistan is a developing country and the masses are highly exposed to the content that media

produces. Since, its birth, Pakistan continues to be in a state of confusion as what is the force that

actually unifies the nation. Most people believe it to be the religion, Islam. Islam is not just a

religion but a way of life or say, a culture that directs how an individual should govern the

aspects of his/her life. And in this state of confusion that continues to be the fate since the last six

and a half decades, Pakistani media today broadcasts the dramas of another Islamic country,

Turkey. Apparently, as Pakistan and Turkey both are the Islamic countries, so their way of life

was also expected to be identical but it did not turn out to be the scenario as the dramas that are

being aired today portray Turkey as a country having an entirely different culture.

For instance, the portrayal of the dresses that women wear, the food they eat, the usage of

alcohol (drink forbidden on Muslims), the illegitimate love patterns, the society, their norms and

all the other traits depict Turkey as a nation that stands completely opposed to that of Pakistani

society and culture. In any society especially a developing one like Pakistan, Media is the most

effective and influential social teacher that infuses into the minds of people how they should

believe, think and behave. For a confused nation like Pakistan, it is a time for us to worry that

such dramas that depict a totally different Islamic Society, the local masses here are getting

confused as to recognize what exactly their culture is and how they should talk, get dressed,

follow the family patterns especially as far as the usage of Alcohol is in question.

It turns out to be true that these shows should not only be subject to the criticism because

these dramas are somehow helping the Pakistani television industry to grow and attract a wider

Viewership and lessen the viewership of Indian dramas which picture the culture of a

nation that is not even of the same religion as ours. Along with that, such dramas are generating

employment opportunities for the locals and are strengthening the ties between Pakistan and

Turkey.

But the purpose of the research is to actually realize the threat to the culture that is being

posed by the aforementioned dramas and the research should help fellow Pakistanis to realize

and watch responsibly such matter and empower themselves in deciding what they should engulf

into their lives and what they should abstain from opting into their lifestyles. Also, the research

should help the media pundits and the government officials to do a cost-benefit analysis of

exposing the nation to such westernized content and render more attention and resources to the

innovation of content that must be developed locally focusing on the welfare of the society.

To state the most accurate findings, this term paper has largely incorporated the results of

the previous researchers under the heading of literature review on the topic of cultural

imperialism and has made the public surveys the center of its research. At the end, the findings

of the paper shall be discussed and will be concluded in a summarized fashion.

Mumtaz

Hannan 1

Amna Mumtaz 15-10339.  (Literature review- intro , definition, effects, conclusion)

Iqra Hannan 15-10138.  (Literature Review- effects, research questions)

LITERATURE REVIEW

INTRODUCTION

Most of the literature that has been found on Cultural Imperialism focuses more on the

cultural transformation of developing countries which are adopting new trends and patterns from

the first world countries mostly from the western society and the US. Cultural Imperialism has

several goals out of which two most important are economic consciousness and political

mindfulness. Moreover, it also involves publication of principles like freedom and democracy.

Cultural Imperialism primarily targets the youth through entertainment and

advertisement, attracting and encouraging them towards “modernity”. The 30,000 restaurants of

McDonalds in approximately over hundred different countries are recognized by people

worldwide. Its international slogan “I’m lovin it” is more familiar to children than their religious

and cultural norms and values.

DEFINITION

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Hannan 2

This term is believed to have originated in 1960’s and has been the focus of research since

1970’s. Different researchers have used several terms for “cultural imperialism”. Those terms

include “media imperialism”, “structural imperialism”, “cultural dependency and domination",

"cultural synchronization", "ideological imperialism", “electronic colonialism” and

“economic imperialism” all are similar in meaning.

Ogan (1988) saw “media imperialism” as producing goods in United States and Western

Europe making domestic sales & generating the first profits, then marketing and selling them to

the developing countries at lower costs than those countries would have to bear if they were to

produce the similar products themselves.

Tom McPhail observe “electronic colonialism” as importation of foreign communication

hardware, software and even the technical team to establish a set of foreign norms, values and

expectations dominating the domestic culture of a society.

In 1976 Herbert Schiller in his work Communication and Cultural Domination defined

cultural imperialism as “the sum of the processes by which a society is brought into the modern

world system, and how its dominating stratum is attracted, pressured, forced, and sometimes

bribed into shaping social institutions to correspond to, or even to promote, the values and

structures of the dominant center of the system.”

Mumtaz

Hannan 3

Effects of Cultural Imperialism

The term was quite unfamiliar to the people living in Third World countries but it has

always been quite famous in the western countries. The objective of cultural imperialism in

United

States was to get access of foreign markets and it surely got the world’s largest economy.

Not only this, it was believed that through cultural imperialism world’s peace could also be

achieved through commercialization. One such example is of the advertisement of Coca Cola ad

in 1971 featuring children from different countries singing innocently “I’d like to teach the world

to sing in perfect harmony/I’d like to buy the world a Coke to keep it company.”

More over according to a research of “New World Teen Study” in 1996 conducted by

DMB&B’s Brain Waves division it was found that out of 26,700 middle class teens in forty-five

countries that have been surveyed 85 percent teens watch MTV everyday and absorb a diverse

mix culture shown on their television screens. Noami Klien a Canadian author , in his book No

Logo (1999) states that foreign consumers don’t passively absorbs whatever America bombards

them with in fact American cultural imperialism has inspired a “slow food movement” in Italy

and a demonstration involving the burning of chickens outside of the first Kentucky Fried Chick

outlet in India. Through there have been several visible and invisible acts of resistance.

Mumtaz

Hannan 4

David Rothkopf, a former senior official in Clinton’s Department of Commerce does not see

American cultural imperialism as a negative phenomenon. In 1997 in Foreign Policy Magazine

he supported Americanization. Rothkopf argues that the removal of cultural barriers through

U.S. cultural imperialism will promote a more stable world, one in which American culture

reigns supreme as “the most just, the most tolerant, the most willing to constantly reassess and

improve itself, and the best model for the future.” But the homogenized culture did not guarantee

a peaceful world without a conflict in fact it would be more of a superficial and unnatural

culture.

David Morley in his writing ‘globalization and cultural imperialism reconsidered’ is of

the view that now trends of cultural imperialism has changed. Modern technology has replaced

old trends that were influencing nations in the past. Ralph H. Bowen in his writing with the title

‘American cultural imperialism reconsidered’ says with regarding to past, cultural imperialism

did not influence much to the receiving nations. They were strong enough to reject the influence

of other culture. In his point of view, societies that possess political, military and economic

power, culturally greatly influence weaker nations. He believes that American cultural

imperialism is influential.

Morley points out internet, satellites, television. These technologies have crossed all

cultural boundaries and making a huge difference in the society. He used the word ‘new

disguises’ for it. Morley considered American culture which he called Americanization a danger.

Mumtaz

Hanan 5

American culture has its influence through media imperialism. Morley considered

American media the powerful media which has its influence on developing and other developed

nations. He in his paper quoted the idea of Americanization from Schiller:“Today’s world

economy has evolved from, but retains the central characteristics of the original American

pattern” (Morleyp33, 2006)

After reading his paper we get the idea that Morley is in favor of cultural imperialism. He

talks about limitations of cultural imperialism. He actually talks about media imperialism. He

again used the quote from Schiller; saying:

“Media necessary have straight forward, predictable and automatic effects on their

audiences’

Another writer Mia Consalvo believes that cultural imperialism is not a one way flow that

influences developing nations by developed one. She says, the fact is where there are more

cultures and traditions in one nation, these have more tendency to influence even to the

developed and dominant nation (consalvo, p118, 2006)

Julia Galeota in her article ‘cultural imperialism: an American tradition’ says that media

has its role in the propagation of American culture. She in her writing gave the example of

viacom’s MTV who formed strong American network and now there are more than 280 million

subscribers in the world wide. She is of the view that through media America’s cultural influence

is unavoidable.

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Hannan 6

Conclusion:

When we see cultural imperialism in Pakistan we come to realize that our media is

massively influenced by the foreign media. The drama’s and programs of foreign countries

appears as a trendsetter for our society and we get to observe terrific change in the form of

dresses, jewelry, language and other cultural values primarily the liberal ones. The research by

the faculty of Media and Communication Department of International Islamic University

Islamabad (2011) also shows that the exposure to foreign culture have a great impact on our

youth thus effecting our cultural identity.

Research questions:

• Why there is impression that only politically and economically developed nations has

their cultural influence on other nations?

• Role of media seem biased in this regard, why is it so?

• Is the purpose of cultural imperialism uprooting the culture and traditions of developing

nations for good?

• Those who support cultural imperialism, don’t their attitude seem biased towards other

nations?

Khan

Yousaf 1

Work done on research methodology / discussions and results

Natasha Khan 15-10093

Usbah Yousaf 15-10431

Research Methodology

The Research Methodology of this analysis report is based upon the questionnaire of

close- ended questions related to Turkish dramas. Basically, this survey is designed to find out

the impact of Turkish dramas on our society.

First, the survey starts with the question about the most watchable Turkish drama i.e.

Ishq-e- mamnoon, Mera Sultan and Fariah. For the reason that, rating of these dramas are very

high as compared to other Turkish dramas shown on different channels. As well as, there can be

several reasons for watching Turkish dramas so the survey includes the most important

questions. And it is about the storyline of Turkish dramas in order to know “how people perceive

Turkish dramas.

Some of the questions are based upon the implementation of the trends and luxurious

lifestyles shown in Turkish dramas. In this way, they survey can easily conclude the impact of

Turkish dramas in our society. That survey also includes a comparison between the Pakistani and

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Yousaf 2

Turkish dramas. In addition to that, the survey also includes the morally and ethically issues

about Turkish dramas.

Furthermore, many questions are designed to get the people overall view about Turkish

dramas in term of negative or positive. This questionnaire is intended on the basis of recent

observation and changing trends in our society.

In concluding remarks, the future of Turkish dramas in the Pakistani channels and their

impact on the human being and their culture are briefly discussed.

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Yousaf 3

Results

R

1. Do you prefer to watch Turkish dramas? Ratio Percentagea) Yes 8 26.6%b) No 10 33.3%c) Sometimes 12 40%

2. Which Turkish drama do you prefer to watch? Ratio Percentagea) Ishq e mamno 23 76.6%b) Mera Sultan 4 13.3%c) Fariha 3 10%

3. What do you think about the storyline of Turkish dramas? Ratio Percentagea) entertaining 11 36.6%b) thought provoking 10 33.3%

c) boring 9 30%

4. After watching Turkish dramas, do you think that our society is adopting their cultural norms?

Ratio Percentage

a) Yes 12 40%b) No 8 26.6%c) To some extent 10 33.3%

5. Do Turkish dramas have bad impact on our society? Ratio Percentagea) Yes 12 40%b) No 10 33.3%c) To some extent 8 26.6%

6. The houses and luxurious styles shown in the Turkish drama especially ‘Ishq e mamnoon’ are tantalizing. Are teenagers being influenced by those luxurious lifestyles shown in the Turkish dramas?

Ratio Percentage

a) Yes 9 30%b) No 11 36.6%

c) To some extent 10 33.3%

7. Turkish dramas are censored to some level. So according to your opinion, is broadcasting Turkish dramas in Pakistan morally/ethically right?

Ratio Percentage

a) Yes 2 6.6%b) No 17 56.6%c) To some extent 11 36.6%

8. Is our society being highly influenced by the Turkish fashion? Ratio Percentagea) Yes 7 23.3%b) No 11 36.6%c) To some extent 12 40%

9. Should Turkish dramas be banned in our TV channels? Ratio Percentagea) Yes 13 43.3%b) No 10 33.3%

C) To some extent 7 23.3%

10. Are Turkish dramas playing a vital role for increase in rating of the Pakistani channels?

Ratio Percentage

a) Yes 16 53.3%b) No 8 26.6%c) To some extent 6 20%

11. Are Turkish dramas better than Pakistanis dramas? Ratio Percentagea) Yes 2 6.6%b) No 21 70%c) To some extent 7 23.3%

12. Do you refer Turkish dramas to your friends & family member?

Ratio Percentage

a) Yes 8 26.6%b) No 17 56.6%c) To some extent 5 16.6%

13. What do you think, Pakistani media channels are buying foreign dramas in order to

Ratio Percentage

a) promote channel 6 20%b) give entertainment 8 26.6%c) gain profit 16 53.3%

14. Are you looking forward for more Turkish dramas? Ratio Percentagea) Yes 10 33.3%b) No 16 53.3%c) To some extent 4 13.3%

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Yousaf 4

Results & Discussion

This analysis report is based upon analytical grading of questionnaire of 14 questions

asked from 30 individuals of different age groups within and outside ‘Forman Christian College

University’.

There were 53.3% females and 46.6% of males involved in this study. Following

observations were noted among the two main age groups i.e. group A (19-23) and group B (24-

27). It concludes that 26.6% of people prefer to watch Turkish dramas while 33.3% of people do

not. On the other hand, 40% of people like to watch Turkish dramas to some extent. In addition

to that, 76.6% of the individuals are interested in watching Turkish drama i.e. ‘Ishq-e-mamnoon’.

As well as, 36.6% of the individuals think that the storyline of Turkish dramas is

entertaining rather than boring or though provoking.

Furthermore 40% think that our society is adopting Turkish norms while 26.6% of people

think that our society is not adopting Turkish norms. On the same hand, 33.3% think that our

society is adopting Turkish norms to some level. Additionally, 40% think that Turkish dramas

have bad impact on our society and 33.3% think that Turkish dramas do not. At the same time,

26.6% think that Turkish dramas have bad impact on our society to some point . 30% believes

that teenagers are being influenced by luxurious lifestyles shown in the Turkish dramas, 36.6%

believe that teenagers are not being influenced by luxurious lifestyles shown in the Turkish

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dramas and 33.3% believe that to some extent teenagers are being influenced by

luxurious lifestyles shown in the Turkish dramas.

Moreover, 6.6% of the participants think that broadcasting Turkish dramas in Pakistan is

morally/ethically right, 56.6% of the participants think that broadcasting Turkish dramas in

Pakistan is not morally/ethically right and 36.6% of the participants think that to some extent

broadcasting Turkish dramas in Pakistan is morally/ethically right. 23.3 % think that our society

is being highly influenced by the Turkish fashion, 36.6% think that our society is not being

highly influenced by the Turkish fashion and 40% think that as neutral. Additionally, 43.3%

think that Turkish dramas should be banned on our TV channels, 33.3% think that Turkish

dramas should not be banned on our TV channels and 23.3% think that to some extent Turkish

dramas should be banned on our TV channels. And 53.3% think that

Turkish dramas are playing a vital role for increase in rating of the Pakistani channels,

26.6% think that Turkish dramas are not playing a vital role for increase in rating of the Pakistani

channels and 20% think that to some extent Turkish dramas are playing a vital role for increase

in rating of the Pakistani channels. 6.6% think that Turkish dramas are better than Pakistanis

dramas, more surprisingly 70% of the individuals think that Turkish dramas are not better than

Pakistanis dramas and 23.3% think that to some extent Turkish dramas are better than Pakistanis

dramas.

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Yousaf6

As well as, 26.6% people refer Turkish dramas to their friends and family member,

56.6% do not refer Turkish dramas to their friends and family member and 16.6% refer Turkish

dramas to some extent to their friends and family members. 20% think that Pakistani media

channels are buying foreign dramas in order to promote channel, 26.6% think that Pakistani

media channels are not buying foreign dramas in order to give entertainment and 53.3% think

that to some extent Pakistani media channels are buying foreign dramas in order to gain profit.

33.3% of people are looking forward for more Turkish dramas, 53.3% are not looking forward

for more Turkish dramas and 13.3% are to some extent looking forward for more Turkish

dramas.

Overall, people have neutral approach towards Turkish dramas. Some people think that

they are entertaining while other think that they are not ethically right. Some people think that

people are adopting their culture and trends but some people have a view that that they do adopt

their trends and lifestyles but for certain extent. People watch famous Turkish drama “ishq e

mamnoon” and the survey got highest rating of that drama. But on the other hand, some

peopleare not referring Turkish dramas to their friends and family members. According to them,

Turkish dramas have bad impact on our society.

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Yousaf7

On the whole, people of our society are getting influenced by the Turkish dramas. They

have different views about Turkish dramas. And the results show that Turkish dramas have an

impact on society and it is totally depend on person that how he/she perceives it.

Tariq 1

Saleha Tariq

Conclusion

As the importance of our topic is evident from the name of our research paper, if we go in

depth we come to know that these dramas are on aired in Pakistan to overcome the impact of

Indian dramas like starplus and sony dramas on Pakistan as Turkey is a Muslim country and its

cultural impact is not as strong as of Indian dramas especially in women of Pakistan. It brings

surprising results to our research as we come to a conclusion that most of the people watch

Turkish dramas just for entertainment and to know about the life styles and cultures of Turkish

people, most of the people do not take them seriously. The most likeable Turkish drama as far as

our research says is Ishq e mamnoon and this is probably because the trend of Turkish dramas in

Pakistan started with this drama. And there is also a great ratio of people who think that Pakistani

dramas are much better then Turkish dramas and Turkish dramas should be banned in Pakistan,

but on the other hand people also take them as no big deal in showing them in Pakistan and there

are also people who are highly influenced by foreign dramas and their culture especially youth as

by the research conducted by the faculty of Media and Communication Department of

International Islamic University Islamabad (2011) shows that the exposure to foreign culture

have a great impact on our youth thus effecting our cultural identity norms and values hence

effecting everything so there should be a balance between media also.

Mumtaz

Hanan 7

References (Literature Review)

1 . http://journals.culture communication.unimelb.edu.au/platform/resources/includes/vol2_1/PlatformVol2Issue1_Movius.pdf

2. http://www.kotikone.fi/matti.sarmela/culturimperialism.pdf

3 http://politics.as.nyu.edu/docs/IO/4600/rauschenberger_thesis.pdf

4. http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/articles/essay3mayjune04.pdf

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Yousaf 8

Appendices

Impact of Turkish Dramas on Pakistani Society

Gender: M / F

Age: ___

1. Do you prefer to watch Turkish dramas?

a. Yes

b. No

c. Sometimes

2. Which Turkish drama do you prefer to watch?

a. Ishq e mamno

b. Mera Sultan

c. Fariha

3. What do you think about the storyline of Turkish dramas?

a. entertaining

b. thought provoking

c. boring

4. After watching Turkish dramas, do you think that our society is adopting their cultural norms?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

5. Do Turkish dramas have bad impact on our society?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

6. The houses and luxurious styles shown in the Turkish drama especially ' ishq-e-mamnoon' are

tantalizing. Are teenagers being influenced by those luxurious lifestyles shown in the Turkish

dramas?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

7. Turkish dramas are censored to some level. So according to your opinion, is broadcasting

Turkish dramas in Pakistan morally/ethically right ?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

8. Is our society being highly influenced by the Turkish fashion?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

9. Should Turkish dramas be banned in our TV channels?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

10. Are Turkish dramas playing a vital role for increase in rating of the Pakistani channels?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

11. Are Turkish dramas better than Pakistanis dramas?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

12. Do you refer Turkish dramas to your friends & family member?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent

13. What do you think, Pakistani media channels are buying foreign dramas in order to

a. promote channel

b. give entertainment

c. gain profit

14. Are you looking forward for more Turkish dramas?

a. Yes

b. No

c. To some extent