Media’s Projection Of Democratic Process: A Comparative Analysis Of Three Leading Pakistani Political Parties During Election 2018 In National Dailies

Abstract

The democratic continuity strengthens the public institutions and triggers the glimmer of hope for public prosperity. The current research focuses on the association between the print media and political parties in Pakistan. The basic purpose of this analysis is to examine that how the Pakistani dailies portray three of Pakistan’s parliamentary parties in their substances during the electoral process of 2018. Media has an abundant worth during the voting process because of its aptitude to frame the image of political parties, headship and affect the reader’s point of view. So the media and political affairs liaison become more multifaceted during the polling process. Media depends on political parties for an update while political leaders follow the media for profile-raising. Pakistan had its polling day to elect its 15th National assembly on 25th July, 2018. What remains to be studied is the contribution of print media in raising mass awareness, deep understanding, mass participation in the voting process and worth of democratic continuity? Did it initiate to sensitize the citizens about the worth of voting, critical thinking about present political parties manifestos and their earlier enactment? Did the depiction of electoral competition only relate to the portrayal of political party leaders, their clashes among each other or did it go beyond and drafted any opportunities and remedies to improve civic issues?The researcher has discoursed this multi-faced rapport by analyzing the treatment of mainstream political parties (PML-N, PPPP, and PTI) in Pakistani leading dailies (Jang, Nawa-e-Waqt, Dawn and The News) by applying qualitative and quantitative content analysis techniques. The frequency, position and tilt of news stories regarding political parties published on the front page of the selected newspapers from 25th June 2018 to 25th August 2018 is studied, and editorials of the nominated dailies were qualitatively examined through framing.