TV THOUGHTS: British activists combat TV pollution; infomania hurts; Maulana Samiul Haq-EU issue and Pak image.

(From Business Recorder)

Byline: NUSRAT NASRULLAH

As one wonders about the expression "television pollution" that an AFP London datelined story uses in a story that one chanced to read this week, a thought does come up asking whether it is applicable to Pakistani society. Is there television pollution in Pakistan? I will leave it at that for now. The headline for this story was "British anti-TV group to force mass switchoff".

And this is what the opening paragraph said: "British campaigners are to mark a global anti-television week in novel fashion - they announced on Monday (25th April) sending out a stream of activists armed with gadgets which switch of any sets within a seven metre (23 feet) radius" (I read this and wondered about what would happen were such an event to take place here).

Now this campaign.? It is organised by a group called White Dot, which said its aim for TV Turnoff Week was to remove television pollution from public area such a pubs and bars. The plan is to unleash a band of volunteers carrying the US madeB-gone gadget, which transmits a stream of infrared codes, to turn off more than 1000 television models within its range. (Once again try and imagine if that gadget was to be brought into Pakistan, and that too from the United States).

And this is what a spokesman for White Dot, David Burke, said: We are going into pubs and either turning off the TV and leaving information and asking people "I just turned off the television. Did you notice?". He …