Abstract

This research categorizes treatment model of political parties in of agenda setting and framing perspective in major TV news channels in Pakistan before the elections of May 2013. The prime time (7-11pm) of these channels for one month was selected for supervising, examining and organizing determinations of coverage of general elections by news channels in under the code of conduct and procedure of coverage set by regulators. The researcher conducted content analysis of prime time which includes headlines of news bulletin, talk shows and issued addressed in program content broadcast on TV channels during that time frame. Results of the study showed that all news channels failed to fulfill the fundamental obsessions of impartial balance and reasonable reporting of political parties and their nominated candidates. In this study as the analysis showed the conduct of the elections, though having eminent place in the state news plan, it devastatingly explained the major political parties.

Key Words:

Political Communication, Political Campaign, Pakistani Channel

Introduction

Today’s mass media has placed a typical man into a ‘gallimaufry’ of information’ wherever thousands of reports events are being happened at the same time. Institution of cable TV, internet, mobile technology and different media developments in recent years in West Pakistan have modified the data usage and consumption patterns. Media folks should report and present these events to the audiences in time. The priority of the news things is set by media retailers and media folks. Media additionally prompt North American country that issue is to be the ‘prime issue’ of the day among dozens of current problems. In line with Walter Lippmann “since folks had solely restricted opportunities to look at necessary events in a very primary manner, they were dependent upon the media to supply them with info on what those events were like. The role of the media, he discovered, was to supply North American country with views of “the world outside” from that we will kind “pictures in our heads.” the data regarding native and international events and also the changes going down on the far side our eyes are solely attainable through media. Since the audiences are hooked in to media for news and data about latest events the role of media has been vital in prioritizing and re-arranging the agenda of reports. During this means media have the facility to influence those who are media dependent. 

The current state of the journalism is partly answerable for the public’s general lack of data importance for accountable citizenship in a very democracy. The journalism has become a facet of show biz, giving simply picture. It’s evolved into associate degree entity that tends to operate as a publicity agency for rich and powerful elites, business tycoons, transnational firms etc. 

The journalism is being utilized as a political tool of suppression and information by those in power, and information is psychological in nature jam-packed with half-truths and utter information, it’s associate degree chesty and really industrial strategy that's enforced as a result of it appeals to emotions, worry being the most one relentless utter national security, terrorism, law and order. 

Mass media is continuously reflecting the majority and influencing the opinion of individuals in the society. Usually more than an amount of your time it is going through numerous transformations and has step by step no inheritable a replacement and its consequence are vital to be described in present era. In past times it was not of that massive size and within the authority mechanism that is commonly termed as “Control Public Mind”.

In Pakistan we have a share for government in all major private channels and there are many privately owned channels accessible on cable television. Channel like (Dawn, Express, Aaj,Geo, TV One, Duniya, SAMAA, AAB TAQ and ARY etc.) are busy around to broadcast local and national level programs of recreation, info, religious, public and political debates and talk shows. The responsibility of mass media is acquiring significance on daily basis, its quick remodeling itself associate degreed successively changing into an agent of reworking the planet. Currently, media has a power to contribute in strengthening the process of democracies and boost the economic development and growth process. 

The institution of politics is one altogether the institutions that employment for the welfare of people and anxious with government and totally different connected issues with government, elections, vote and etc. In most of the world’s countries, national power of politics and authority square measure assigned to varied individuals and groups through politics, generally by suggests that of compromises between conflicting interests. Through politics, governments aren't any appointive or appointed, or in some cases, created by militia. 

Governments have the power to create, interpret, and enforce the principles and selections that ensure how to run the countries. Inside the present era, it has been seen that Mass Media has place spirit and impressed of us in electing government in line with their own different. Throughout this suggests, of us can change the wrongful decision of state officers.

Mass Media is that provider of influencing us to participate in politics and it will be the only supplier of constructing awareness in voters that how to enhance and run our type of government. Individual’s square measure in the main affected by the news and news talk shows that square measure on air on totally different news channel of Islamic Republic of Pakistan around the clock. 

The purpose of this study is to associate that but media sets Associate in Nursingun agenda for political bias and gift political bodies. The media generally claims that it is the voice of opinion, and many of politicians and voters surrender to the current false notion. archangel (2011) says that “since the early 1970’s, the thought that mass communication is a powerful force has gained strength, partially from studies that document a correspondence between the amounts of media attention academic degree issue receives and the amount of public concern relating to the draw back.”

 McCombs and monarch, (1972, 1976) says “people learn from the media what the required issues square measure.”  The role of media as ‘agenda setter’ for the target audiences has been drastically increased   in recent decades. the present study has targeted the character and extent of portrayal of political parties inside the light-weight of agenda setting, theories. The study will extra slim all the manner right down to explore the treatment of each major political parties i.e. PPP, PMLN and PTI in TV speak shows by major TV channels specific ARY News, GEO News and Waqt News, Duniya News and PTV News.

The thought  media coated  these activities  of  the  parties otherwise  as  some channels gave Brooding once more coverage and biased presentation whereas some others gave moderate or low coverage .The  goal  of  this analysis  study  was  to explore but five leading news channels coated  the  issue of party politics  and  expected  elections  in  their TV speak shows by victimization  agenda  setting. This study targeted at understanding the event of agenda setting techniques that were being utilized by major personal TV channels of West Pakistan on coverage of party politics and expected elections.

Historical Context of Media Biases and Elections in Pakistan

The history of elections in Pakistan is improbably worrisome and unsatisfactory. In 63 years, history of Islamic Republic of Pakistan it has witnessed six general elections. Three of the elective assemblies didn't complete their stipulated tenure as a result of the governments was toppled on completely different charges by the hidden forces that democracy didn't suit. The government came into exist as a results of 2002 elections although completed its tenure, it however could not meet the expectations of the overall public and instead threw it into despair. 

The impact of General Elections of 2008 may be shown within the following statement world organization UN agency declared that “we square measure moving into a extended quantity of transition from military to civilian rule with the Elections 2008”. 

The prominent and conventional political parties considerably PML-N and PPP were talking expressly relating to the bribery and rig. They were providing facts and figures to the media relating to rigging. (Rashid, 2007) but sadly, matter was thus unfavourable that absolutely unlike political parties were accusative ordered to support political parties and gain the support from the existing government. In spite of such confused and sacred atmosphere the elections finally were management in the country on in 2008.

According to the information by available on state departments and ECP, PPP won the foremost seats second by PML-N. The PML (Q) was second at intervals the widespread vote. A coalition government was intentional by PPP and PML (N) and Mr. Asif Ali Zardari took over the president and electing Yousaf Raza Gillani as a new PM of Pakistan on August eighteen, 2008. 

This study aims to focus the role of mass media with special emphasis on if they remained politically biased towards political parties. TV has visual characteristics and thus can impact and have varieties of political influence. It’s rebelliously necessary to analyze the role of media in election 2013 as results of in these elections, mass media ordinarily and electronic media specifically were purported to relish countless independence and freedom. The freedom enjoyed by TV channels throughout these elections was precedence at intervals the history of Pakistan.

General Election 2013 Campaign and Electronic Media

General elections 2013 were a democratic shift ever in the history of Pakistan. The major political parties were, Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP),  The  Awami  National  Party  (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N),  Pakistan  Tehreek-e-Insaaf  (PTI), Muttahida  Qaumi  Movement  (MQM),  Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Jamiat Ulama Islam-Fazl Ur Rehman group (JUI-F). Pakistan includes a spirited and numerous media. It plays a vigorous role in determinant oral presentation on national problems and in molding public perceptions of the performance of presidency.  

The general elections are proclaimed in Pakistan in 2013. Political parties have already started their campaign through media outlets. Through the portrayal and analysis of candidates the media can have a strong result on the political method. If the media misrepresents a candidate it can result in a modification in election outcomes. It’s for this reason that the media’s treatment of candidates has typically been examined for biased opinions that may probably slant elections.

Five TV talk shows within the major leading TV news & current affairs channels, specific news, GEO news and Waqt News, Duniya News and PTV News area unit chosen to control fact-finding study. In April 2013, ECP issued a code of conduct for media for the coverage of general election proceedings. The conduct was built upon the rules of equality and unbiased and balance reporting and coverage of all political parties and their respective candidates contesting in the general election of 2013. Nevertheless, the dearth of Associate in nursing social control mechanism was conspicuous, and meant that restrictive authorities may solely handle officially registered complaint but there was no prior mechanism for monitoring this coverage by any regulatory body. 

In addition, there are 10 seats reserved for Non-Muslims. These area unit allotted to parties on the premise of a representation party voting system supported every party’s share of the overall seats won within the National Assembly. 

One's read of the globe, or one's ideology, is made through a network of life experiences and interactions inside a myriad of social establishments, of that media play a central role. People begin to form their own ideologies by learning regarding the globe, in part, through media frames. There are unit aware and unconscious behaviors on the part of frame sponsors – and people that assemble these frames – that employment to form frames in media content. These frames don't seem to be created in a very social, cultural or political vacuum. they're oppose and fashioned by teams, like social movements, politicians, business homeowners, organizations and therefore the media themselves (Gamson & Modigliani 1989). 

However, to look at a philosophical arc within the media, framing contests ordinarily favor political elites. This reliance on elites usually will be copied to print media practices that area unit drawn to border sponsors with important resources. It is necessary to not mislead the role that media staff have in collecting content, however they're the receptors for competitor frames from a spread of sources. These sources area unit usually tied to capitalistic structures that favor media conglomerates and thus area unit a lot of probably to be revealed. Unless there's a notable and obvious reason to counter hegemonic media practices, content throughout the media spectrum tends to favor those with power (Atton & Wickenden 2005, Carragee & Roefs 2004).

Economic goals gain grandness if the structure and internal policies area unit orienting towards revenue building and dealings. As long as stockholders own most media companies, the pressure to maximize profit in exchange for augmented share costs is a comprehensible pressure on content.

Problem Statement 

Arguably, the employment of electronic media in politics is widespread extremely stern. What is more, there's ample analysis to point out the importance of electronic media in political movements. This study, therefore, investigate the employment of 1 type of electronic media, television talk shows, as a way to making a positive or negative picture of political parties. They set agenda in favor of or go against of targeted political parties. This study also will consider the content of talk shows for the aim of detection biasness. This study examines the persuasive content of political problems in leading TV channels. Since the electronic media relaxation of 2002, the case has modified, with several media homeowners operative strictly in step with industrial interests and with non-skilled attachment to journalism therefore the analysis also will contribute to check the self-regulation role of the media. 

Objectives of the Study

The purpose of this study is to analyze if the media offers true image of political activities in step with the code of conduct given to that by election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with responsibility. This study also will investigate the whatever media offers coverage to completely different political parties’ activities and more it will investigate the extent and nature of portrayal of political bodies in major leading news TV channels. It will also additionally build a comparative analysis of electronic media and its conduct of business in Pakistan.

Significance of the Study 

This research study provides the actual picture of media portray of political parties in general

 elections 2013 and their level of objectivity and unbiased reporting according to the set rules and regulations and code of conduct settled and specifically formed by the regulatory authority and

election commission of Pakistan. 

Media in Pakistan, an exceptionally self-governing and emerged as vital factor to produce impact on consumers as it has a great ability to establish and strengthen the all other pillars of state if used properly and ion constructive manner by the government without any strict restriction by control by self-responsibility lies with them towards the development and progress of their society. Media plays vital role in this method and the forum provided by it throughout the election days becomes a vital platform to gift political ideologies by completely different political parties. Similarly, it provides a chance to the voters to urge political data and to investigate the programs and manifestoes bestowed and propagated by completely different political parties and candidates throughout the election campaigns. 

In these circumstances, the institutions of media, regarded as the fourth pillar of state and it plays its role significantly in democratic transformation. The strength or the weakness of the trendy state is judged by the performance of its media that include: electoral representatives, paperwork, judiciary and media.

Research Hypothesis

The investigator is interested to seek out  the framing and agenda setting role by leading TV channels and impartial and balance coverage in step with the principles and laws provided by the regulators and have practiced accountable and moral duty in its programmes before Election 2013, for this purpose following hypothesis are tested during this research: 

H1. Electronic media was unbiased and neutral to the political parties and followed the code of conduct given by regulator in pre-election 2013 coverage

Ho. Electronic media was biased and negative to the political parties and failed to follow the code of conduct in pre-election 2013 coverage.

Literature Review

Literature review is taken into account as most significant stage of the analysis method because it permits earning from and eventually adding to the previous researches and conjointly saves time, efforts and cash. Therefore, the investigator reviewed all the relevant literature offered. A logical and systematic review of the literature created the completion of this study potential.

Many researchers analyze sells allocate and its impacts in revenue increase with indication to coverage and judgement on mass media. He accentuates that the strategies won’t to gather data have an effect on the end result, or matter of the problem. He inspected “whether the journalism or news-gathering techniques indirectly and maybe unknowingly favour the expansion of government” and reported that media bias can be characterized into two contradictory types of biases, that square measure indirect and direct bias. He was of the view that “reduction of the audience and revenues of reports organizations” which may after that get consideration in dissimilarity with non-direct bias that happens once modest or nil notice is given to the probable manoeuvring of knowledge that goes “unnoticed and unchecked” evaluates the influence of

presidency management over news accuracy. (Sutter’s .2004).

Kuypers’s (2002) Press Bias, Politics, and also the Media Manipulation of polemic problems analyze media bias in politics. Throughout the article, he tracks the history of media ethics from its past moral grounds to an additional acutely aware agenda-setting, goal-oriented artful behavior. In his thesis, he states, “I believe the press exhibits a simple temperament to advance its own ideals regarding applicable public policy”. He believes that the complete purpose of mass media is to utilize frames through the utilization of “certain keywords, metaphors, concepts, and symbols” that work along to determine the connection of 1 issue over another. Framing happens once the media emphasizes one political viewpoint over another that later on promotes agenda-setting biased media coverage. Moving forward, Kuypers Associate in Nursingalyses an ideologically bolstered liberal bias though stresses: “What is of concern here isn't that the bias is liberal, however that such a bias is thus extensively gift throughout the institution”. His emphasizes was on the problem of sound judgment and condemns agenda-set bias outlooks on polemic problems. Embrace each quantitative and qualitative sourcing. Through the uses six historical case studies and endless diagrams and compiled statistics from polls, surveys, interviews, and government sourcing to additional suggests his stress on frames developed by media. His case studies were meticulous in their deconstructionism of the values placed by the named people on top of however the media later on relied thereto through rhetoric, bias, and dishonorable ideas. Following au courant, the case studies, he utilizes surveys and polls to draw popular opinion into supporting his ideas. He found that press coverage ran below the cloak of an exact agenda whereby the media manipulated its own folks on polemic problems. (Kuypers’s, 2002)

Druckman and Parkin’s (2005) The Impact of Media Bias however Editorial Slant Affects Voters discuss however media bias in editorial content will doubtless influence balloting selections. Central to their concern square measure the ramifications this might wear the democratic principles of free selection. They expect that relative editorial slant influences voters. Newspaper coverage constitutes a primary supply of knowledge for voters throughout Senate campaigns. there's so sensible reason to expect that the sort of coverage can impact voters’ candidate perceptions and, ultimately, their vote decisions. In their analysis of the media bias, they categorise their organization in 3 steps: 1) whether or not editorial slant is very important, 2) deconstructing media bas “literature by learning relative slant”, and 3) the influence of editorial slant on voters. Critique the event assesses the accuracy of individual balloting on specific problems. They use Associate in nursing astounding maneuver to check their critique of editorial slant and it’s had an effect on voters. Firstly, before their entire study begins, they analyze the population by deconstructing, through questionnaires and surveys there: age, sex, legal status, education, level of interest in politics, annual financial gain, and political identification (i.e. republican, freelance or democrat). when tabulating their statistics: “Coders conjointly analyzed the content every story by cryptography each paragraph as covering any of twenty eight problems (e.g., defense, social security), eleven candidate personal/image characteristics (e.g., leadership, integrity, empathy), and/or thirteen strategic components (e.g., poll results, ads, fundraising), noting, in every case, the candidate focus” (Druckman & Parkin, 2005, p. 1037).

McQuail (2005) aforementioned that: though' it’s the actual fact that TV look like some recreation but it contributes visible role ahead politics. And in election temporal order it's visible provider of communication among elective officers and customary man. Throughout this role knowledge for public TV keep authentic and responsible. In policy matters media has necessary role in creating national unity. Policy matter could also be on education, conflict resolution and many of various issues. There ar few areas where media person lack experience. Like national security and defense. This issue lands up in rumors. That why presently media persons have gotten correct education equally as correct coaching job. Mass media may be a combination of all modes of communication, also as TV, radio, print associate degreed internet is obtaining used for covering massage to an outsize extent. Typically, mass media is supposed to convey knowledge to terribly massive market, just like the complete population of a country, and conjointly the native media cowl the native market.

Currently this communication has busted all hurdles across national limitation and brought new thoughts through cross- fecundation of cultures. Therefore, we are able to assume that electronic data has created undefeated impact in growing completely different social structure. Human life revolves in several spheres and there's not one wherever media didn't show its influence. This can be data that permits human to factor and arrange for any advancement. That’s the precise happening in person life. Currently person is extremely cognizant of its duties similarly as rights. This factor changes his life and currently he thinks himself cognizant of currently solely national problems however conjointly international drawback. Media joined his life with international communities and increase his exposure. Freedom of expression is to tool of media that build the person sturdy and will increase his functions in day to day life. Currently state looks seasoned and responsible simply because of media. Political elites are attempting to arrange themselves for this transformation that is simply thanks to media. And media conjointly is aware of okay its role. The essential duty of the media is to coach the general public however conjointly recommend them the solutions. (Lodhi, 2009) Media effects in several means on the agricultural similarly as urban views in line with their educating, exposure and participation in politics. (Madhvi, 2002).

In 1922 conductor Lippmann’s book popular opinion set the stage for the idea of agenda setting by tilt that “the journalism constructs our read of the world” (Wahl-Jorgensen and Hanitzsch, 2009, p.147). However, the term “Agenda-Setting” wouldn't be coined till 1972 by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw. In McCombs's and Shaw's original work revealed on Agenda-Setting--"The agenda setting operate of mass media"--the media is that the most outstanding (and arguably, the only) linkage establishment between the govt. and also the folks. Therefore, McCombs and Shaw argue that it's the sole contact several have with politics (McCombs and Shaw, 1972). 

On the basis of above given literature review the researcher is keen to explore the impact of unbalanced and biased coverage of political parties in general elections 2013 and its aftermath due to this behavior of private channels in Pakistan. 

Theoretical Framework

Theoretical framework is associate unified set of concepts, inconsistent events and hypothesis. The theoretical draw of the study debates the treatment of political parties in clock time programs by electronic media before the general public Election 2013 in Pakistan. The core purpose of the study is to understand the bit on of TV channels and framing of knowledge suppliers that wedged the behavior of general public towards feeling and or disliking of political parties and exploitation their votes consistent with preferences designed for them by the media. during this study talk shows of major TV channels together with PTV the sole state channel was taken under consideration to explore the analysis concept TV channels facilitate shaping vox populi within the society. As a communication technology, TV incorporates a nice acceptance and is getting used extensively in Pakistan. TV viewership isn't any a lot of restricted to solely adults and currently days it's simply assessable to all or any ages and races even for kids additionally.

As it will be aforementioned that an honest theory helps predict what is going to happen in future by giving sensible insight into however the development being studied works. For this analysis following theories were selected:

Agenda Setting Theory and Framing 

The theoretical framework (for elaborating the ideas below study, bridging the variables and providing foundations for the complete study in organizing the analysis queries, collection information and analysis procedures) holds the idea of ‘agenda-setting’ and therefore the idea of ‘framing’. 

Cohen (1963) states that it's going to be not triple-crown abundant of the time in telling individuals what to assume however it's spectacularly successful in telling its readers what to assume about. The introduction researchers of agenda setting, Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw (1972) additionally concentrate on constant ability and power of the media to create public to trust and remark from the messages they receive.

They argue that individuals tend to assume a lot of concerning the concepts conferred within the media than concerning the concepts not within the media. After we say that media has an effect on agenda setting, we have a tendency to mean that they need ability to decide on and emphasize bound topics, thereby inflicting the general public to understand these problems as necessary. (Dominick, 2002: 543). Therefore, notion of agenda setting depends on the transfer of problems from the media to the general public.

Research Methodology

Research Methodology is an arrangement of denotative rule and fabricators upon which research is based and versus which arrogates for knowledge are assessed. Research method used in this study is content analysis of prime time of eight major news channels including state channel Pakistan Television (PTV) of Pakistan from 1st April to 30th April 2014.    

Research Design

Eight most viewed and with high TRPs news genre and current affairs Urdu language TV channels have been observed for the month of April 2013, impending for pre general elections of May 2013 coverage. Monitoring tools and indicants were formulated in this regard in the beam of policy of conduct compiled by ECP. Analyze process involved space and time apportioned to political parties and their respective applicants and television content was inspected. The types of the media items observed were: 

a. Talk shows

b. News Headlines 

The indicators used for this research study comprise “Content Monitoring” and “Economy of Production”. These indicators entail the expressions of a disseminated content as following:

Content Monitoring

? Text

? Time slot

? Gesticulation

? Context

? The Outcome

Economy of Media

• Frequency of election coverage

• Duration of election related content broadcast

• Time slot of election content on aired

Monitoring Period and Time Duration

This research stands on the facts composed in repeated monitoring of the content aired in Prime time (7pm-11pm), from 1st to 30th April 2013.

List of Television Channels Monitored

The list includes following mainstream news channels:

1. PTV

2. Geo 

3. Waqt 

4. Dawn

5. ARY 

6. Duniya 

7. Express 

8. Samma

Time Slot

The purpose for selection of only “The Prime Time” for this research study is largely because of the importance and worth of this time period specifically in “Spectator” and “Commercial outcome” which are together fundamentally common and solely applicable to each other. Another important aspect of selecting prime time is that it grips utmost number of viewers in front of their TV screens worldwide, and obviously is the highest priced slot.

Data Analysis and Findings

Major Finding

Major findings of the study suggest the majority of the non-public/private news channels have projected the lead item in their headline is the accusation from one political party against another and most of the public rallies covered by the news channels are commonly having the similar behavior of accusations and personal attacks. Emergency coverage of Election violence, specifically “Bomb blasts”, on private TV channels was largely based on speculations, disinformation and exaggeration. The care taker government and state affairs were not given adequate coverage on private channels and the smaller political parties and independent candidates were not given appropriate coverage.

Table 01 show in details the abbreviations used for political parties and election commission and explain its meaning.  

Table 1. Major Political Parties in the General Election 2013

S. No	Abbreviation	Details
1.	AJI	Awami Jamhori Ittehad
2.	AML	Awami Muslim League
3.	APML	All Pakistan Muslim Leagur
4.	AWN	Awami National Party
5.	JI	Jamat E Islami
6.	MQM	Mutahida Quani Movement
7.	PML N	Pakistan muslim League Nawaz
8.	PML Q	Pakistan Muslim League Quaid E Azam
9.	PPP	Pakistan People’s Party
10.	PTI	Pakistan Tahreeq E Insaf
11.	ECP	Election Commission of Pakistan

 

Table 02 shows the detailed coverage given by major news channels with relevant issues and party demonstration stats. It can be observed that the percentage of fairness is more than 60% in every leading issue covered by news channels and one way or another depict the manifesto of political party.

Table 2. Programs/Talk Shows

TV Channels	Leading Issues	Party Demonstration (in Order of Representation)	Public Opinion	Fairness
Dunya TV	Election Violence, Taliban	1. MQM 2. PPP, ANP & PMLN 3. PTI & PMLQ	Nil	90 %
PTV News	Election violence, threats, governance	1. MQM, PPP & ANP	5 %	80 %
Dawn News	Elections, Manifesto, Security	1.PML N 2.PPP, ANP, PTI PML Q & MQM	60%	80 %
ARY News	Terrorism	1.PTI 2.PPP, PMLN, JI, PMLQ & APML	60%	80%
SAMA TV	Election campaign	1.PTI 2.PMLQ 3.PMLN 4.PPP, ANP, AML	40 %	60 %
Geo News	Election debate, Violence, women candidates	1.PTI 2.PMLN 3.PPP, ANP & MQM 4.JI	40%	80%
Express News	Election campaign, Manifesto, Feudalism, threats	1.PML N 2.PTI 3. PPP, ANP	90 %	90%
Waqt News	Election campaign, Governance, Media role & Responsibility	1. PML N 2. AML	25 %	80%

Table 3. Political Content – Airtime

PPP	PTI	PML(N)	PML(Q)	JI	AJI	MQM
1:21:00	3:38:00	2:07:00	2:10:00	0:10:00	0:01:20	0:01:00



Political Content – Air Time

The above given table and figure (Table03, Figure01) explain the coverage given to the major political parties by TV channels in which major chunk of the time was given to Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) 3.38, after that PML(N) 2.7, Then PML(Q)2.1 then Jamat e Islami, MQM and other parties. This result shows that majority of the TV channels cover the political gatherings, rallies and camps of PTI more than any other political party and the party in government Pakistan People Party (PPP) was at number four in the list which is quite surprising.

Table 4

Total Number	PPP	PTI	PML(N)	PML(Q)	JI	AJI	MQM
704	119	228	180	148	22	5	2



Frequencies of Paid Political Content

Above given Table04 is presenting the frequencies of paid political content appear per day in all current affairs channels and according to the data shown here out of 100%(704) ads 32%(228) are from PTI,17% (119)PPP, 26% (180)PML-N and 21%(148) are from PML-Q. This data shows that who much political parties spend to buy the prime time of almost all news channels to advertise their manifesto and motivate the voter to support their party in general elections.     

Table 5. Channel Wise Political Content-Airtime

Dawn	PTV	Express	Geo	Duniya	Sama	Total
3:07:35	0:28:40	2:53:50	2:48:54	4:26:00	2:10:30	15:55:29

Frequency of Channel Wise Political Paid Content on Aired Per Day

Above given table and figure is showing in detail stats and frequencies of paid political on aired channel wise on daily basis in different news channels. Duniya News gives most of the time to paid political content than any other news channel.  PTV the only state channel monitored here was at last place in giving time to paid political content before general elections 2013. 

Table 6. Party Wise Duration of Political Content

PPP	PTI	PML(N)	PML(Q)	JI	MQM	ANP	Total
4:26:17	4:38:55	3:20:00	2:41:40	0:31:20	0:11:55	0:04:40	15:55:29




Figure 4

Party Wise Duration of Political Content

PPP PTI PML(N) PML(Q) JI

MQM ANP

Above given table and figure shows in detail the party wise duration of political content broadcast on news channels in which PPP is leading in number followed by PTI and PML-N.

Table 7. Programs / Talk Shows

TV Channels	Dominant Issues	Party Representation (in Order of Representation)	Public Opinion	Fairness (ECP Code of Conduct for Media)
Dunya TV	Election Process, Party Manifesto , governance , Water Issues	1. PPP, PMLN 2.  PTI 3. ANP& JI 4.AML & AT	20%	50 %
PTV News	Election process, New provinces, Baluchistan , threats, Party manifesto	1.   PMLN 2.   PPP 3.   PTI 4.   BNP M, PMAP 5.   ANP, MQM, JI, HDP	80 %	90 %
Dawn News	Elections Process, Manifesto, Taliban, Karachi , KPK, Economic policy	1.PML N 2.PPP 3.PTI 4.JI 5.MQM & ANP	20%	90 %
SAMA TV	Election Process,	1.PTI 2.PMLN 3. PPP, ANP, AML	20 %	40 %
Geo News	Election Process, Violence/ Threats , Manifesto , governance	1.PML N 2.PTI 3.PPP 4.ANP 5.JI, MQM, JUIF, NP, HDP	70%	70%
Express News	Election campaign, Manifesto, Governance , Threats, Caste System	1.PML N 2.PTI & PPP 3. MQM 4.ANP & JI	60 %	70%
Dawn News	Elections Process, Manifesto, Taliban, Karachi , KPK, Economic policy	1.PML N 2.PPP 3.PTI 4.JI 5.MQM & ANP	20%	90 %

 

Above given table explain in detail the frequency of dominant issues appeared on news channels during monitoring time with the explanation of public opinions about those issues and fairness according to the set code of conduct given by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Table 8. Fairness in Coverage According to the Code of Conduct by ECP

S.NO	Channel	Dominant Issues (in Order of Presentation)	Smaller Parties/Marginalized Group	Fairness
1	Dawn News	1.Security /Election violence 2.Party campaign (PMLN) 3.Party Campaign (PTI) 4.Party campaigns (others)	APML	80%
2	PTV News	1.State Affairs /PM/ECP/President 2.Election violence 3.Party campaign (PMLN) 4.Party Campaign (PTI & others)	All small parties in Sindh & Punjab Independent candidate	90%
3	SAMA TV	1.Election violence/PTI Campaign 2.Campaign MQM 3. Campaign PMLN 4. Campaign PPP, ANP	NIL	70%
4	Express News	1.Election violence 2. Campaign PMLN 3.PTI 4.MQM	PMLF, APML	80%
5	Geo New	1.Election violence 2.PTI 3.MQM campaign /threats 4.PPP, ANP, JI, PMLQ, JUIF	APML, NPP	80%
6	Dunya News	1.Election violence 2.Party campaign PTI/PMLN		80%

Conclusion and Recommendations

According to a British media review by Media Standards Trust (2011), the general public have little or no faith at intervals the disposition of the national press to behave responsibly: analysis conducted for the review found that but one in ten of us trust national newspapers to behave responsibly. Nor do of us believe we have a tendency to be ready to believe editors for guidance. Seventieth of the respondents disagreed with the statement “We will trust newspaper editors to create sure that their journalists act at intervals the general public interest.” state of affairs in Asian country is not wholly totally different. In April 2012, the results of a web survey conducted by the particular apses discovered that the majority Pakistanis feel the native media spreads negativity, is ballyhoo artist and is sponsored by political parties. An entire of one, 025 Pakistanis and expatriates participated at intervals the on-line survey. 

Respondents fogbound a majority of these aged between 20-30 (61%) and 30-40 (21%) Males comprised eighty-three per cent of the whole sample whereas journalists and media personnel entrenched 13 per cent of total respondents that sums up to around 133 of us.

The question of ethics and responsible news diode to questioning the sample whether or not or not that they had ever been offended by a article or TV report and if that they had ever created an official grievance or signed a petition against a media cluster. With regards to the previous, associate large majority of eighty-eight per cent, 902 of us out of the whole sample, aforesaid that they'd been offended by a article or TV report. The particular apses, in its editorial on seventeen June, 2012, commented that news bulletins denote everywhere and are offered over mobile phones and computers. As a result, there has been associate obsession with the news and everyone that it contains. Endless discussions continue on the lines of the themes ordered out, with news organizations setting the agenda for news by crucial what we have a tendency to tend to have associate interest in and what need to capture our attention. Not surprisingly then, many issues that we have a tendency to must always worry regarding go unnoticed and uncommented on for the foremost.

There are laws and rules that regulate the media. However, these parameters don't mirror on a comprehensive basis the requirement to appear at the role of media from the foremost very important perspective: that of the national. At identical time, voters even have obligations to support and strengthen media independence.

Pakistan’s 1st transition to democracy once finishing of 5-year tenure by the surgery and coalition has opened media area and bigger levels of data accessibility and consumption. Growing media faculty of thought, info accessibility in real time, and news accessibility in native languages has changed people’s access to info on issues like politics, elections, legislation and democracy.

The majority of stories were supported press releases with solely a number of news things showing to be generated by the reporters themselves. There have been solely a number of inquiring reports. There was no deciding to educate the media shoppers, merely to produce routine info on the subject. There was clear lack of stories stories/shows regarding Baluchistan, FATA, law and order state of affairs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, committee violations of code of conduct, women’s participation at intervals the elections and minorities etc.

All broadcast media monitored didn't suit the essential obligations of balance and equitable coverage of parties and candidates. owing to the obscure and inadequate provisions of the committee of Asian country regarding media ‘s code of ethics, the allocation of airtime on broadcast media was terribly selective. as a result of the content analysis demonstrates the coverage of the elections, though' enjoying a awfully distinguished position at intervals the national news agenda, it overpoweringly showed PTI and PMLN. TV channels denied its consumer/viewer of their 2 basic rights protected at intervals the electoral process: the proper of voters to find out regarding political alternatives and matters of public interest and also the right of candidates to put their message across.

With regards to the allocation of airtime to the varied political parties in news programmes, quantitative data shows that there is a very high proportion of coverage dedicated to PTI and PMLN and low coverage of ANP, surgery and MQM United Nations agency were under attack from religious movement. These parties (PPP, ANP; MQM) received a jiffy, though' their coverage targeting specific events of bombing and attacks on their rallies and offices throughout elections.

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