Society for Alternative Media and Research

Society for Alternative Media and Research

Society for Alternative Media and Research (SAMAR) is a non-governmental organization based in Pakistan’s federal capital, Islamabad. It was established in March, 2005, and got Registration Certificate under the law, Societies Act 1860, on 16 July, 2005.

Vision: The media function as promoting to the extent possible equitable opportunity for peoples, groups, communities, irrespective of political, social and financial status, to express their views to ensure a participatory and representative democratic state and society.

Professional character: SAMAR works as a watchdog on media by monitoring and analyzing the contents of news and views in the mainstream print and electronic media with citizens’ perspective for democratic participation. Website is: www.alternativemedia.org.pk

Thematic work focus: SAMAR is primarily focused on the rights of marginalized groups and communities with particular reference to coverage in the mainstream media. The organization analyzes media contents whether they are promoting democratic state and society and human rights or the media interests are an obstacle in the way of promotion of democracy and protection of human rights.

SAMAR has also been working on policy development for the health especially Tobacco Control in Pakistan for the past twelve years with the collaboration of Bloomberg Initiative for Global Reduction of Tobacco Use. SAMAR is also working as secretariat for Coalition for Tobacco Control-Pakistan, a coalition of 250 member organizations from all over the country, working in the area of health and tobacco control.

Media Mirror

Fortnightly E-magazine, Media Mirror (launched by Society for Alternative Media and Research) concentrates on Media and its interlinked issues.


Media Review

The organization is publishing quarterly Media Review in Urdu language for the past three years. In 2011, the project's target audience.