Maya Khan: fired for refusing to tender an unconditional apology

Following the citizens’ campaign expressing outrage at a Samaa TV morning show’s intrusive and unethical programming, and the host  Maya Khan’s refusal to apologise unconditionally, the channel is taking her show off the air and terminating her contract. BELOW: CEO Samaa TV Zafar Siddiqi’s letter in response to our email to him yesterday. This is the power of collective, visible, non-violent action — and of the social media that helped to spread the word. This will not end here. Media consumers in Pakistan are waking up to their own power, and will continue to lobby for an ethical, responsible media.

From: <zafar.siddiqi>
Date: Sat, Jan 28, 2012
Subject: Re: URGENT: People’s Petition and Protest on Irresponsible, Intrusive and Invasive Programming by SAMAA TV

Dear All

Your feedback is appreciated. As a responsible corporate citizen, Samaa TV did what was required under the circumstances. We do not and have not in the past or intend to in the future to take our viewership or reporting requirements without the seriousness that they deserve.

You would appreciate that as an organisation with a functioning management team, we had to conduct certain legal requirements over the past week and internal review processes (which are operational in nature) before procedding further.

As a result of which I can inform you:
1. We asked Maya to apologise unconditionally which she did not.
2. The CEO asked her to do that on friday which she refused.

As a result of which the following will be put in place on Monday,Jan 30th.
1. Maya and her team will receive termination notices.
2. Her show is being stopped from Monday morning.

Our deeds and actions taken since this episode occured are there for the record and hope this will settle issues as far as the station is concerned.

A lot has been written about the race for ratings..Well, we do (not) absolve such behaviour irrespective of ratings that the show was getting.

With best regards and thank you for your understanding.Zafar Siddiqi
Chairman CNBC Arabiya
Chairman CNBC Africa
President CNBC Pakistan

Maya Khan's 'not apology'

So after all the public pressure, Samaa TV apologises, says the programme that was broadcast (moral policing, intrusion of privacy) does not reflect their policy, and that it won’t happen again. The anchor says that the programme host Maya Khan has also apologised – but the apology we are then shown is no apology. Sitting in a bedroom (bedroom??!) with her hair wrapped up in a turban, she smilingly  says she didn’t mean to hurt anyone –

‘agar meri waja se kisi ki dil azari hui mein tahe dil se muafi mangti hoon‘ (IF I have hurt anyone I am really sorry). No acknowledgment that what she did was wrong, that she lied about turning off the camera. So the campaign continues. It’s not about Maya Khan. She can do what she likes at home. But it’s not acceptable when she brings that ‘moral policing’ mentality’ to 24/7 live TV and reality shows – whether it’s her, or Yasir Aqeel of ARY or anyone.
The TV channels must learn that they cannot allow this, media consumers put up with a lot but blatant invasion of privacy is not on, whether it’s done in the name of social morals or religion. Speaking of which, this Oct 25, 2011 show of Maya Khan, in which she pits a sobbing mother versus a defiant young daughter, really takes the cake. “Bach ke rehna, season 2″ – “Do you know where your daughter is?”

One fine evening when I was wrapping up work at office and getting ready to head home, I realized that I have been blessed with some money in my bank account that needs to find its place in my wallet in order to pay for the Rickshaw fare and buy some grocery for home. Luckily two branches of my bank are located in the vicinity so I decided to walk to the branch that offered ATM services. To my knowledge, it was a 24 hour ATM branch so I did not even considered the time as it was post 5 PM already by the watch. Went inside, got the cash and as soon as I turned around, I saw myself being caught inside the grills of the ATM machine. The door was being locked without even knowing that there is a superwoman inside the booth. I screamed on top of my lungs and banged the door to get the guard’s attention. Certainly he saw me reopened the grill for me. I took a deep breath and as soon as I could say anything else, that old man started apologizing repeatedly and smiling with guilt on his face. I felt kinda bad but asked him in a friendly manner to take care of such situations in future so that nobody gets into trouble. I wonder what would have happened if I would have remained inside the ATM booth? You really can’t do much, can you?

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