Analysis of Issues and Challenges of Media and Its Sustainability: A Case Study of Electronic Media in Pakistan

Abstract

The aim of this research paper is to analyze the problems and challenges regarding the sustainability of media, concentrating specifically on electronic media in Pakistan. Electronic media is instrumental in shaping and influencing public opinion, policy decisions, and the discourse of democracy. However, it is fraught with serious problems, including declining revenues and profitability, unaccountable political pressures, ethical issues especially in fast evolving global digital technologies, and, above all, the aggressive competition of emerging digital media. So, the objective of this research is to explore the sustainability of media outlets in the context of Pakistan while focusing on the views of constituents of the electronic media industry—namely media proprietors, reporters, and policy makers. The research examines the difficulties encountered by these constituents in the ethical consolidation of the sustainability of media institutions, the intrinsic conflict between profit-making and public service, and the practice of journalism. For this purpose, qualitative research design under which focus group discussions, interviews, and thematic analysis was done by NVivo for data coding and analysis. The results highlighted misinformation, bias, unsustainable media economics, government censorship, and the political capture of the media as prominent challenges. The analysis also recognized the role of the audience and the impact of the internet and digital technologies as they move toward broadcasting the old media. Providing policy implications for future investigation regarding competent determinants of sustainability, and modules to generate revenue.