Print Media Coverage to Environmental Issues of Pakistan: A Case Study of Media’s Priorities in Highlighting Different Issues

Abstract

This study is designed to resolve the extent of coverage given to environmental issues by mainstream Urdu and English dailies of Pakistan. This is content analysis-based study of Jang, Daily Express, The News and Express Tribune. Coverage is determined in term of no of news and pictorials items along with space. This is census study in which entire selected time period was taken for the study. The major issues selected for the study are Air Pollution, Noise Pollution, Waste Management, Water Quality, Global Warming and Climate Change. The coverage is being measured in term the number of stories, pictures and space given in centimeters to them. Study is based on “Social Responsibility Theory”. Findings shows that overall, 1934 news items related to selected environmental with space of 76720.87 cm was published. Daily Express gave more news coverage to environmental issues (675 items 13231.76cm space) as compared to Jang (505 items 9081.11cm space) followed by The News (363 items, space of 27905cm) and Express Tribune (391, space of 26503cm). Analysis also revealed that Urdu dailies gave more coverage to news related to environmental issues such as Express 13231.76cm, Jang 9081.11cm as compare to English dailies Express Tribune 27905cm and The News 26503cm. In term of pictorial coverage, finding shows that overall, 930 pictures related to selected environmental with space of 34976 cm was published. Furthermore, analysis shows that Daily Express has given more pictorial coverage to environmental issues (277 items 5129.41 space) as compared to Jang (204 items 3160.67 space) followed by The News (212 picture, space of 14654) and Express Tribune (237, space of 12032). Analysis also reveal that Urdu dailies give more coverage to pictorials related to environmental issues such as Express 5129.41cm, Jang 3160.67cm as compare to English dailies Express Tribune 237cm and The News 12032cm.