Degree

BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts

Date of Award

Fall 2024

Date of Submission

2024-09-12

Advisor

Shahzeb Ahmed Hashim, Lecturer, Department of Social Sciences

Project Type

SSLA Culminating Experience

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

Dawn, Jang, Content Analysis, Newspapers

Abstract

This thesis examines the influence of language on the adherence to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) guidelines in reporting on violence against women (VAW) in two leading Pakistani newspapers: Dawn (English) and Jang (Urdu). A detailed content analysis of articles published over six months was carried out. The study evaluated how these newspapers fulfill the UNDP’s ten criteria for ethical reporting, focusing on key areas such as frequency of the news articles, prominence, sensationalist language, perpetrator accountability, etc. Framing theory is employed to explore the role of language and cultural context in shaping how violence against women is portrayed, while agenda-setting theory is applied to understand how the prominence of VAW stories in the media impacts public awareness The findings revealed significant discrepancies between the two newspapers, with Jang posting news stories related to VAW much more frequently than Dawn. Out of the 6-month time for the study, Jang had 72 days of at least one article related to VAW whereas Dawn had 21. Both newspapers had issues with appropriate headlines, and with balancing the official voice, and none of the newspapers had any articles with resources for shelters or helplines related to VAW. This research contributes to the broader discourse on media responsibility in addressing violence against women, calling for greater awareness and adherence to international reporting standards in Pakistan, and the gaps that persist, especially when such prominent newspapers here don’t align closely with the international standards of journalism as prescribed in the UNDP guidelines. I believe this thesis has relevance to impact policy surrounding journalism in Pakistan, such as including resources in every VAW news report, and several other areas for future research that could contribute to a much more equitable society for citizens.

Pages

60

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