Analyzing Climate Change Framing in Pakistani Print Media: A Study of PTI's Climate Change Initiatives

Abstract

This research delves into the framing of climate change-related news articles in "Dawn" and "Roznama Jang" newspapers during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Pakistan. The study employs a qualitative research analysis approach to explore how these two prominent English and Urdu Pakistani newspapers frame climate change initiatives. The study categorizes the relevant news articles into frames to understand how government-initiated climate projects are portrayed in the media. Through this analysis, the research seeks to uncover the predominant framing patterns in the selected newspapers and explore how they contribute to public understanding and perception of climate change initiatives. The qualitative research methodology used in this study involves thematic analysis and framework analysis to identify recurring themes and framing categories present in the news articles. Thematic analysis allows for the exploration of overarching themes and patterns in the coverage of climate change initiatives, while framework analysis provides a structured approach to categorize the data according to predefined frames such as environmental impact, economic implications, political discourse, human interest stories, scientific perspectives, and proposed solutions. By examining the framing of climate change initiatives in both English and Urdu newspapers, this research aims to shed light on how language and cultural factors may influence the portrayal of environmental issues in the media. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of linguistic and cultural nuances in shaping public perceptions of climate change, and this research builds upon existing literature by providing insights into the specific framing strategies employed by Pakistani newspapers in reporting on climate-related issues. Ultimately, this study contributes to our understanding of how media framing shapes the climate change issue in Pakistan. By identifying the dominant frames used in newspaper coverage of climate change initiatives, policymakers, journalists, and advocacy groups can gain valuable insights into how to effectively communicate climate-related information to the public and promote informed decision-making and collective action on environmental issues.