Construction of Advertisements in Pakistan: How far Television Commercials Conform to Social Values and Professional Code of Conduct?

Abstract

The present study examines that how far television content especially televised advertisements in Pakistan are conforming to the professional code of conduct, and social values of the society. For this purpose, the researchers selected TV commercials being telecast during prime time dramas and examined them through content analysis against the code of conduct formulated by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). The researchers focused on existence/non-existence of deception, obscenity, and stereotyping in the advertisements. They also explored that whether the level of existence of deception, obscenity and stereotyping varies from product to product and channel to channel or remains intact across the board. It was found that most of the advertisements were deceptive but a few. The element of obscenity (dress and gestures/postures) existed in all the analyzed advertisements. And as compared to ethnic stereotyping gender stereotyping was prevailing more in the chosen advertisements. The results indicate that Pakistani media are transgressing the cultural values and PEMRAs code of conduct.