Abstract
This study primarily aims to examine the impact of contextual factors on journalists' safety in Pakistan. The study also analyses the ways safety risks and Pakistan's climate of impunity affect professional journalism in the country. Data have been gathered using the quantitative method of survey and the qualitative method of in-depth interviews. Findings reveal that all surveyed male and female journalists (100%) view the factors of government's and military's threats and pressure; impunity; the country's socio-political situation and laws, religious extremism and social conservatism as most crucial in affecting their safety. On the other hand, 76% and 91% journalists consider a lack of safety training and ineffectiveness of measures as important aspects causing safety risks to them respectively. Drawing on the social responsibility theory, this study suggests that the Pakistani journalists are considerably unable to do 'objective and investigative reporting' freely, truthfully and accurately because of diverse safety threats emerging from internal political and ethnic conflicts; government's, military's and media owners' pressure; law and order situation; religious extremism; conservatism and impunity. Hence, the study questions the notion of media as watch dog and media as the mirror of society in the prevalence of news culture that lacks truthfulness and accuracy. The study invokes for creating professionalism and fostering safe and free journalism necessary for truthful, accurate and impartial reporting in the sake of public's interest and their right to know in Pakistan.
Highlights
Findings reveal that all surveyed male and female journalists (100%) view six factors as most crucial in posing risks to journalists including: (i) the law and order situation; (ii) government’s and military’s direct or in-direct threats; (iii) risky political and legal environments; (iv) religious extremism, (v) impunity, (vi) social restrictions and conservatism
Findings explicitly suggest that journalists’ physical, psychological, emotional and financial well-beings are at stake, but the quality of journalism and professional standards are at risk too due to diverse threats posed to journalists
The Pakistani journalists employ self-censorship to report on news stories and compromise on the principles of objectivity, truthfulness and accuracy mainly because they don’t want to be victim of threats from various sources
Summary
This study aims to investigate the following two objectives: To investigate the impact of eight contextual factors affecting the journalists’ safety in Pakistan including: (i) law and order situation; (ii) government’s and military’s direct or in-direct threats; (iii) risky political and legal environments; (iv) religious extremism, (v) social restrictions and conservatism; (vi) impunity; (vii) journalists’ lack of awareness and safety training; and (viii) ineffectiveness or lack of initiatives at various levels (government, media organizations, journalists’ unions and individual journalists).To analyze the ways safety threats and impunity affect professional journalism in Pakistan.
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