NEWS ANALYSIS PRESENTATION

Analysis of News stories in leading newspapers and TV

channels in Pakistan regarding post-obl and the murder

of journalist SaleemShahzad

PRINT MEDIA REPORTS POST-OBL

Overall Themes:

Several questions raised in reporting

Facts coincide with reporting in the US

Questions vary from report to report leading to

questions regarding accuracy of information

Opinion pieces pose strong questions for the

general public

BROADCAST MEDIA REPORTS POST-OBL

Overall Themes:

Most videos start with general facts but lead to

interviews/sound bytes that again, leave viewers

with unanswered questions

Strong interviews in most videos

Heavy debate among anchor and guests on

shows

Wide variety of people and voices

SUMMARY

The print media offers a much more in-depth look at how reporting in Pakistan. Since majority of the population reads Urdu, theUrdu press is much different from how things are reported in the English press in Pakistan. The articles have a wide variety of information, theories and opinions.

The broadcast media uses strong interviews to get the message across. There is ample use of b-roll and interviews with ordinary Pakistanis to prove the point of a video piece or news report. There is also a lot of debate that makes the viewer question much of the facts that they read and hear.

PRINT MEDIA REPORTS ON JOURNALIST

SHAHZAD

Overall Themes

Objective but speculate towards validity of ISI

allegations

Top-down approach

Provide details of murder, investigation

Mention Shahzad’s article that links naval attack

to Al-Qaeda

BROADCAST MEDIA REPORTS ON JOURNALIST

SHAHZAD

Overall Themes

Provide images of SaleemShahzad

Provide images relevant to the story (Shahzad’s

home, supreme court building)

Provide relevant sound bites

Reporter provides voice-over

PUBLIC OPINION OF PAKISTANIS REGARDING

MEDIA CENSORSHIP

According to one poll, to determine what is “high quality

news”, 67% of respondents said it should be news they can

trust .

59% of respondents feel that news should be Unbiased and

Objective.

60% of respondents say that it’s important to know why

something is happening, rather than just knowing it’s

happening.

Pakistanis do not have much faith that the judicial system

works without outside influence (political/military).

42% of respondents feel that Pakistan has no respect for

human rights.

SUMMARY OF SHAHZAD AND MEDIA

CENSORSHIP

Public opinion surveys of Pakistanis show that trust, objectivity, and the explanation for news events are important factors for viewers. Pakistanis also do not expect much from the government in terms of a fair judicial system and human rights.

These articles and broadcasts have the potential to raise awareness for human rights issues such as media censorship, holding the government accountable for the lack of press freedom.

The idea of skepticism towards the judicial system is exemplified in the coverage concerning Shahzad, with a prevalent tone of pessimism for finding the guilty parties responsible.