It seems those days are long gone when we craved original storylines that went far and beyond the run-of-the-mill narratives, revolving around the coming-of-age love story or the age-old saas-bahu saga and domestic politics.
Green Entertainment has initiated the task of bringing to light stories and issues that prevail in our society. The desi touch to these narratives makes the drama relatable for the audiences. The new drama serial around the block ‘Breaking News’ revolves around two emerging and passionate journalists who refuse to surrender to the corrupt system and aim to traverse through the world of journalism with honesty and integrity.
The plot
Written by Aamir Raza and directed by Kashif Nisar, ‘Breaking News’ is a drama revolving around the inner workings in the world of journalism and media houses. Through the lens of Mishal Jamil and Hussain, we get to see the relentless pursuit of truth and ethics amidst the ruthless competition, shedding light on the stark contrast between sensationalized content aimed at garnering views and the fundamental principle of delivering factual news.
The drama follows a one-woman army Mishal Jamil, played by Amar Khan who is an aspiring journalist. Belonging from a middle-class family, Mishal lives separately from her parents to pursue a career as an anchor and news reporter. After repeated attempts and consistent efforts, Mishal ends up landing a job at a News channel. However, following a rift with a politician, Mishal ends up getting fired. Later, Mishal gets another job at a competitive new channel after her video from a previous interview gets leaked. A headstrong Mishal takes on the challenge to prove herself and make her world as a renowned journalist. Little does Mishal know that her dream job is an amalgamation of a corrupt and greedy system.
Hussain — played by Hamza Sohail — is Mishal’s love interest and her constant supporter who aids her in pursuing her dream job. Hussain is an honest media researcher who values integrity above over-sensationalized news.
The cynical side of journalism
In the current age of social media dominance, the relentless pursuit of viral content and increased viewership has fueled aggressive competition for breaking sensational news. This cutthroat environment has led to a concerning decline in the quality of news coverage, a poignant theme explored in the drama series ‘Breaking News’.
This compelling drama meticulously portrays the underbelly of media, depicting instances where influential figures manipulate news to prioritize sensation over accuracy. One such character, Naveed Khan, essayed by Ali Safina, embodies this ethical ambiguity. Naveed Khan, a connected media personality driven by ratings, engages in morally questionable tactics to secure success.
For instance, the series unfolds a scenario where an actress falls under public scrutiny for doing a nude scene in an international show. Naveed Khan breaks the news and hurls criticism at the actress. Subsequently, after a planned agreement, the actress attempts to rebuild her image. The entire orchestrated scene sheds a spotlight on the power of manipulation in shaping public perception. This eye-opening portrayal prompts introspection on the pressures faced by actors, both from traditional media and the relentless scrutiny of social media.
As viewers, it beckons us to question whether a more discerning and empathetic approach from audiences could alleviate the need for actors to resort to extreme measures to manage their public personas. If, as viewers, we take on the social responsibility of commenting on someone’s life in a civilized tone, will the public figures still feel the need to go to such lengths to redeem themselves?
The chances are that while the audience, certainly, does not fuel the race for viewership and TRPs and the morally corrupt actions that follow to achieve this in its entirety, they do have some role to play. The audience directs channels and media houses through their viewership and engagement to the kind of content they want to see. Eventually, to be on the top, content creators are coerced into producing substandard content. Thus, the vicious cycle continues.
Another thing highlighted in the show is the involvement of political parties and political figures in influencing the content shown on television. We see various instances where this is underlined. In one scene we see Naveed Khan’s conversation where he plans to blackmail the environment minister if he does not cooperate with his wife for her PR proposal. We also see under-the-table deals of Naveed Khan with a politician to present him in a good light on television. Such instances reflect society and the events that unfold in reality.
The question arises that without the support of politicians and influential personalities will the shows gain enough TRPs to sustain? Truth be told, a lot of struggling journalists will take on these deals in a heartbeat because they know giving such content to the public will result in more viewership and job security.
The lead character Hussnain is shown to be an upright and honest researcher and focuses on serious journalism rather than sensationalism. This has resulted him in taking a back seat while his colleagues are excelling. This underscores the prevailing dilemma in our society, where genuine talent and hard work are overshadowed by individuals willing to engage in morally ambiguous actions.
On the flip side, Mishal secures a job opportunity after a video of her interviewing a politician gains widespread attention. This incident highlights the recognition her years of hard work and dedication received due to a viral video. It prompts us to ponder the responsibility we bear in selecting content for virality, recognizing its influence on various decisions. Rather than later questioning the disproportionate attention someone receives, we must acknowledge our role in shaping these outcomes. Employers, in turn, must understand the significance of valuing talent. Ultimately, individuals with genuine skill and ability prevail in the marathon of success, as fleeting social media trends dissipate over time — a reality that demands acknowledgement.
What could have been better?
It is vital to acknowledge the attempt of the team and the production house to underline a story on television that is different from the rest. Despite this, we wish the team had culminated a story with added elements of thrill and suspense. When you are venturing into a subject as wide and interesting as the world of journalism, it isn’t an impossible job to weave a story that has drama and suspense. We have seen several examples of international series and movies over the years. Maybe the makers could have turned this into an episodic format, where in each episode there was a different case or new report with a continued evolution of the central characters.
