Abstract:
The study seeks to find out the way Pakistani news channels work in a competitive
environment allowing them to be used as a propaganda tool. It specifically focuses on two
major news channels of Pakistan namely ARY News and GEO News to understand their
functioning after two issues concerning an attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir and
Mobashar Luqman’s allegations on Jang group. The research employs qualitative mixed
method approach by using thematic content identification of current affairs programs from
the two selected channels and 11 semi-structured interviews of journalists, content
producers and media persons working in ARY News, GEO News and PEMRA. The
findings explain a lot of restrictions and pressures faced by working journalists specifically
during a situation of media war between two major competitive news channels. Usually
the restrictions journalists face are due to the interests of non-professional channel owners
and state or non-state actors. It has also been found that Pakistani regulatory authority has
limited capacity to implement media laws deteriorating the situation of media industry. The
research holds an importance in the field of mass communication, as it clarifies the
imperative unanswered questions. The role of mass media is extensively discussed over the
last few years, but this research addsthe role of Pakistani news organizations as propaganda
tool throughout media war. It has also been found that there are many lobbies of a news
including owners, state or non-state actors and land mafia in Pakistani media industry other
than organizational structure allowing researcher to devise a theory thereby applying
grounded approach.
