By Waqas Banoori

I’ve witnessed media’s development, strengthening and impact on innovation in Pakistan. A country that’s seen four martial laws, autocratic rule, unstable democracy and unaccountable elite has suddenly taken a 180 degree turn. Today, the parliamentarians, bureaucrats, military, judiciary and almost every individual is within the sphere of law, and the credit goes to the free and independent media in Pakistan.

 Social media has changed the whole scope of media. It has given another avenue of free speech to literally every individual who has access to a computer and the internet.

The change can be seen globally – where social media has brought change to governments, systems, states and policies. We’ve seen this change in Egypt, Libya and Syria, where citizens used social media outlets to speak out, arrange meetings and unite to fight for their rights.

Media innovation has been visible in many forms over the years. There was a time when the old printing presses were used to print the paper for circulation. Then, newer forms of newspapers and magazines included pictures and graphics made a bigger impact. Yet, today it is all the way different. There are think tanks, research centers, digital labs, etc, which have taken over the usual media structures. With technological advancement, the idea of printed newspaper is becoming void. Digital versions not only allow paperless news, it is a faster device.

One of the common trends in Pakistan, as a result of newer media trends, is that everyone can be a citizen journalist in the thriving media industry. A  number of independent news organizations have propped up,  resulting in the openness of society and overall betterment of human, political and women rights.