Third Level Intermedia Agenda: Comparative Analysis of Electoral Rigging Issue Coverage in Urdu Press of Pakistan

Abstract

The imprints of media’s agenda setting may be traced evidently during elections campaigns as the coverage of political issues, pertaining to the political parties contesting in the elections, seems to be more heightened on different mass media platforms. This study describes the relationship of network inter-media agenda setting, examining the coverage of ‘electoral rigging’ issue which emerged as the key political issue and slogan of losing political party and gained the momentum of a movement against the ruling political party, blaming them of coming in power after a rigged election, during post elections 2013 in Pakistan. ‘Social Network’ analysis technique was used to analyze the data collected from three newspapers belonging to leading media houses of Pakistan ; Daily Jang, Daily Dunya and Daily Express to explore the relationship of inter-media agenda setting networks. Findings conclude that all three newspapers were found on the same agenda about elections-2013 in news coverage. However, editorial policy of Daily Dunya and Daily Jang was different on electoral rigging issue. Daily Dunya editorial policy was also found different about PML-N government from other two papers. Finally, it is argued, although intermedia agenda setting are found valid in Pakistan, yet effects are larger for national issue of electoral rigging, and minimal in case of political party, PML-N rigging. QAP Correlation results indicate strong association among the agenda of three newspapers. However, these associations are different for two issues; Electoral rigging, and PML-N rigging. Intermedia agenda setting effects are larger for the issue of electoral rigging, and minimal for the issue of PML-N rigging.