By Imran Malik
There was a time when TV anchors ruled Pakistan’s airwaves. Channel owners would rise from their chairs to greet them, and multi-million-rupee contracts were sealed with a nod. But the times have changed. The wheel of technology spun so fast that many once-mighty anchors now find their lights fading.
The era of television ratings is over; the age of views and subscribers has begun. Anchors no longer count audiences — they count clicks. And when a conflict of interest starts boiling over, how long can the channel owners really stay silent?
Eventually, Express News decided enough was enough. Thus, one fine day, Pakistan’s famous columnist, average-at-best anchor, and struggling businessman, Javed Chaudhry, was politely shown the door.
“Goodbye, Mr. Chaudhry — that’s the exit.”
Javed Sahib believed his bond with Express would last forever. He had built his brand there, his identity, his aura. In his mind, he was indispensable. But time, as always, had other plans. Gone are the days when his deep-voiced intros — full of moral lessons and borrowed philosophy — would make the nation pause. Today, the same audience watches his vlogs and types in the comments: “Sir, is that medicine original or a replica?”
The trouble began when he started his YouTube channel after office hours. Then came the product endorsements, the “power” tonics, and the celebrity world tours. The same man who preached integrity on TV was now selling “miracle energy” in the next tab.
The channel owners, of course, could only watch for so long. Express News — once his platform — had turned into his personal marketing department. When the embarrassment reached its peak, management quietly whispered:
“Mr. Chaudhry, your vlog may continue — but not on our channel.”
Some sympathize with him, but the truth is harsh: Javed Chaudhry was never a ratings magnet. His intros were brilliant, yes — but the rest of the show followed the same tired 1-versus-3 formula, where noise replaced insight and repetition replaced research.
The media landscape has changed. The once-untouchable anchors now bow before algorithms. The kings of primetime are now slaves to YouTube analytics.
Every anchor must now choose —
either live on the millions of the seth (the channel owner),
or survive on the pennies of digital monetization.
Because in journalism, as in life…
a man riding two boats never reaches the shore.
