Policy of Media Owners/Organisations and Governments towards Journalists in Pakistan

Abstract

This paper presents findings and insights about the relationship between media owners and the governments and their attitude and policy towards journalists and the profession of journalism or news media in Pakistan. It is based upon the primary data which was collected through conducting six focus group discussions in various districts of Sindh province. The paper is an answer to the assumptions that the news media and the personal welfare of the journalists are neglected in Pakistan on the part of media organizations and the governments. Rather both media owners and the politicians prefer to serve each other’s vested interests like profit-maximizing and publicity. In this way some of the key findings surfaced that first, the non-implementation of the wage board award for journalists is a classic example of the unison of media organization owners and the government or politicians. Second, the various means to deter the news workers to work freely include threats, arrests, torture, job insecurity and feudal influence, particularly in rural areas.