Alright, just so it is clear, I am very angry, no, actually, infuriated at the callous manner with which we the viewers have been treated by those in charge of programming at ARY Digital TV. I am beyond mad at the unannounced cancellation of two recent episodes of Kuch Pyar ka Pagalpan. Didn’t we at least deserve an advance notification?? Is ARY that uncaring of their viewers’ sentiments?
Kuch Pyar ka Pagalpan was cancelled the first time on February 5th since it coincided with 12th Rabi-ul Awwal. I appreciate the fact that this is an important religious occasion and understand the reason for the cancellation. BUT, what is really infuriating is the lack of advance notification. In fact, promos were being aired on YouTube and on the various KPKP related FB pages, and the various page admins were busy hyping up the upcoming episode. May I ask why that was done? Did the 12th come as a surprise to ARY? Didn’t they know about this at least 12 days in advance. Doesn’t ARY have a set policy regarding programming to be aired on a religious occasion? I’m sure they do. Then why not put up a notice on their website, or run an announcement, or send out a notice to the admins who were busy promoting that particular episode? Let me tell you, ARY ended up looking pretty silly that day, especially in comparison to Hum TV network’s spate of official apologies that came fast and furious, just a day earlier, in response to irate viewers, after an episode of Humsafar did not air that weekend.
Adding insult to injury, yet another episode of KPKP was cancelled last Sunday, and this time on the silliest pretext ever – the airing of a pre-recorded Zee TV awards show (mind you, this had already aired on ZEE TV and available on You Tube). I am not even questioning the rationale behind airing Indian award shows when they don’t show ours. Rather, my only question here again is, WHY no advance notification? Was it not known to the programming heads that ARY had purchased the rights to this Zee show? Again, we saw the promos of KPKP and the hype on FB pages. I am at an utter loss to understand ARY’s completely unprofessional approach. Why not announce a week in advance, or during the airing of the previous episode, that the next one would be rescheduled. Surely, that’s not asking too much?
More problematically, ARY’s choice, of televising a “pre-recorded and already aired” Indian awards show over an “original and un-aired” episode of a very popular (according to the TRPs KPKP is consistent fixture on the top ten list) Pakistani drama, sends a clear signal that even though we hear the usual complaint about the Pakistani audiences preferring Indian channels, in actuality this malaise affects not just our populace but also our TV channel heads. What kind of a message is this sending? We are continually advised to watch and support “our” Pakistani entertainment industry, but when it comes to looking out for “their” bottom-line, the same network executives tend to easily forget to practice what they preach … Isn’t there an inherent hypocrisy here?
Shabash ARY!!!
Written by S Z ~
