Reporting Climate Change: Factors Affecting Media Coverage of Climate Change in Pakistan

Authors

  • Saima Khan M.Phil., Department of Mass Communication, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Muhammad Jawed Aslam Associate Professor, School of Media and Communication Studies, University of Management & Technology, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Aasima Safdar Assistant Professor, Institute of Media and Communication Studies, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Muhammad Tariq PhD Scholar, Institute of Media and Communication Studies, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55737/qjss.319795411

Keywords:

Climate Change, Media Coverage, Factors, Media Policy, Agenda Setting

Abstract

Climate change is posing challenges to every nation. Its effects are already being witnessed in different parts of the world. Extreme weather conditions and other climate-related disasters have forced world leaders to look for possible solutions. Media is of great assistance in this regard. It can not only highlight the issue but create awareness among people. Among the nations most at risk from global warming, Pakistan comes in at 8th position. However, its media has been witnessed to be ignorant towards the crucial issue.  Therefore, this study focuses on the factors affecting Pakistani media coverage of climate change. A qualitative approach was used in the form of interviews from a defined sample of the population comprising ten climate journalists in Pakistan. The findings of the study suggest that agenda setting, economic interest, political inclination, corporate interest and media policy are among the top factors that influence the reporting of climate change in Pakitsan’s mainstream media.

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Author Biography

  • Muhammad Tariq, PhD Scholar, Institute of Media and Communication Studies, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.

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Published

2024-06-30

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Khan, S., Aslam, M. J., Safdar, A., & Tariq, M. (2024). Reporting Climate Change: Factors Affecting Media Coverage of Climate Change in Pakistan. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences, 5(2), 159-168. https://doi.org/10.55737/qjss.319795411