Mass media in Pakistan

See also: Censorship in Pakistan and Internet censorship in Pakistan

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Mass media in Pakistan (Urdu: ذرائع ابلاغِ عوامی ، پاکستان) provides information on television, radio, cinema, newspapers, and magazines in Pakistan. Pakistan has a vibrant media landscape; among the most dynamic in South Asia and world. Majority of media in Pakistan is privately owned. Pakistan has around 300 privately owned daily newspapers. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (formerly the Federal Bureau of Statistics), they had a combined daily sale of 6.1 million copies in 2009. Television is the main source of news and information for people in Pakistan's towns, cities and large areas of the countryside. Marketing research company Gallup Pakistan, estimated there were 86 million TV viewers in Pakistan in 2009.[1]

To a large extent the media enjoys freedom of expression in spite of political pressure and direct bans sometimes administered by political stake holders.[2] Political pressure on media is mostly done indirectly. One tool widely used by the government is to cut off 'unfriendly' media from governmental advertising. Using draconian laws the government has also banned or officially silenced popular television channels. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has been used to silence the broadcast media by either suspending licenses or by simply threatening to do so. In addition, media is also threatened by non-state actors involved in the current conflict.[2] Security situation of the journalist has improved and the number of journalist killed in Pakistan has also declined considerably.[3][4] However, the press freedom in Pakistan continues to decline.[5][6]

Reporters without borders in its 2020 Press Freedom Index ranked Pakistan number 145 out of 180 countries based on freedom of the press. Recent report from Reporters without borders implies considerable improvement in the freedom of press compared to the preceding years.[7][8] Media coverage of abuses by both the Pakistan government security forces and militant groups is hindered by an ongoing climate of fear. Journalists, who encounter threats and attacks, are resorting to self-censorship more frequently to protect themselves.[9]

The Pakistani government intensified its grip on the media, leading to media professionals experiencing heightened coercion, censorship, and a surge in journalist arrests.[10]

  1. ^ "Pakistan Media and Telecoms Landscape Guide". Internews.org. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Media in Pakistan: Between radicalisation and democratisation in an unfolding conflict" Archived 29 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine, International Media Support, July 2009, 56 pages.
  3. ^ "26 journalists killed in last 5 years in Pakistan". The Nation. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Why Pakistan and India coming down on World Press Freedom Index?". The News. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Media watchdogs slam 'brazen censorship' by Pakistan". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Pakistan struggles at 142nd rank on World Press Freedom Index | Samaa Digital". Samaa TV. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  7. ^ "2018 World Press Freedom Index". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  8. ^ "World Press Freedom Index Report 2018: India placed only one rank above Pakistan, but why?". India Today. 3 May 2018. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018.
  9. ^ Human Rights Watch (21 December 2020), "Pakistan: Events of 2020", English, retrieved 31 July 2023
  10. ^ "Human rights in Pakistan". Amnesty International. Retrieved 30 October 2023.