Promoting Media Literacy with collaboration of OSF

Society for Alternative Media and Research (SAMAR), has been carrying out a project, with the support of OSF, on monitoring and analysis of contents of mainstream and regional print and electronic media in Pakistan to evaluate its role in strengthening democracy in the country. In the process of monitoring, there emerged a need for having the basic knowledge of ‘information and media literacy’ for the audience, students of mass communications and also the working journalists to understand the changes in media landscape, its role and responsibilities and its future direction in a democratic polity. The quality and direction of journalism is critical to strengthening of democracy in any modern society.

The year of 2002 can be termed as a watershed moment in the history of media in Pakistan. As Pakistan opened its airwaves, journalism witnessed a paradigm shift from print to electronic media. Today Pakistan has 90 private TV channels. Of them around 35 are news channels. This surge reshaped media landscape in Pakistan, including a new generation of journalists. In every political and democratic crisis since 2002, media’s role has been critical in shaping the popular narrative, though partisan coverage, and neglecting journalistic standards have been witnessed during the process of monitoring by SAMAR for the past few years.

While continuing monitoring and analysis of media content, the promotion of the concept and knowledge of ‘information and media literacy’, a study on the media in Pakistan after 2002, and also a study on impact of social media on journalism have been done by SAMAR to understand the role and responsibilities of media to strengthen a democratic state and society.