Gilani, Syed Khalid Raza

Project Plan

Communication for Development

Project Plan
The role of Pakistani media (electronic and social) in the social and political
development and change of Pakistan
Syed Khalid Raza Gilani
Malmo University, Sweden
January 27, 2014

Gilani, Syed Khalid Raza

Project Plan

Degree Project
The role of Pakistani media in the social and political development of Pakistan
What:
For my upcoming degree project I shall conduct a research study about the role of
Pakistani media in the social and political development of Pakistan. I shall discusss and
critically analysie the electronic media, as the electronic media is the biggest source of
information flow in Pakistan and social media. In todays global world, the responsibility
of Pakistani media is of core importance as Pakistan needs a dynamic social and political
change for its national solvency. The media possess great influence in changing the social
and political behavior around the globe - electronic media contributing significant role in
it. The addition of social media has added great value to it
From last decade the significant progress and emergence can be seen in the area of
communication technologies in Pakistan.Numbers of public and private channels have
been launched in the country with in past few years. Social media in Pakistan can be used
as a catalyst for communication in elimination of a discriminatory and unjust social and
political system, which ultimately can bring visible changes in the country. Social media
emerges rapidly in the country and become the vehicle for communication and public
empowerment.
According to Social Bakers site, there are approximately 8.5 million Facebook users in
the country, of which a great majority is under the age of 36. The dominant group aged
between 18 and 24 has the largest base with over 4 million on the Facebook. Similarly,
some two million Pakistanis use Twitter and just over a million are LinkedIn users. The
second largest group of Twitter users is among 24 to 25 years. If growth in users base in
Pakistan is viewed, the statistics suggest over 1.383 million new accounts have been
created for Facebook in the last six months.My research paper aims to analyse the
state/role of electronic and social media in social development and political change in the
country.

Gilani, Syed Khalid Raza

Project Plan

As discussed purpose of this paper is to examine the role of media primarily electronic
and social media for social change in Pakistan, a social change that is creating great
social and political awareness among the people. Before year 2000 Pakistan had limited
media institutes, comprising only print media and a state owned TV Channel Since
2000 with the emergence of more then 50 channels, the media dynamics of the country
has been changed. There is a significant progress can be seen in the era of communication
technologies. Among the Asian countries, Pakistan is also adopting these rapidly
changing communication technologies from last decade. (Aijaz Ali, P: 47)
Methods
I shall use Qulitative interview method as my primary mode of research and Content
analysis method as my secondry and supportive method of research.
Qualitative interviews can be structured and semi structured individual interviews, with
the aim of understanding and collecting the most realistic and concrete opinions about the
subject. Qualitative interviews are two ways communication, where researcher gets the
opportunity to the see the most diverse and different aspects of the researched topic
unders discussion.
I think in the diverse scenario of Pakistani media, interviews will greatly help me in
reaching to any conclusion as this method gives both interviewer and interviewee, a space
to discuss and share the ideas and opinion. It will help me to understand something from
the subjects point of view and to uncover the meaning of their experiences. The will be
doing 5-7 interviews in total.
Beside secondary and follow-up questions, my major questions shall be ,
1. In totality, how do you analyze the role of media to create social and political
awareness among the people of Pakistan?
2. Do you think current wave of development in electronic media is contributing
positively in social, political and economical change in the country?

Gilani, Syed Khalid Raza

Project Plan

3. Is the social media contributing as catalyst for social and political change in Pakistan?
(If yes/no how was my follow up question)
4. Is social media successful in raising true issues and concerns of Pakistani community?
5. What are to loopholes in current media practices which should be stopped or modified?
6. What measures should Pakistani media initiate in order to achieve more efficiency in
social awareness among public?
Literature:
*More Literature to be added
Thomas L.Mcphail, 2009, Reforming the role of the media, Blackwell publishing ltd.
USA
Ravi K Dhar , Pooja Raza, 2012, Media in the swirl, New Delhi, India
Dr. R.C. Ramanujam. 2014, Multimedia Journalism, New Delhi, India
Retallick, J., & Farah, I. (2005). Transforming schools in Pakistan: towards the learning
community. Oxford University Press.
Niazi, Z. (1994). The web of censorship. Newyork: Oxford University Press.
Potter, W. J. (2010). Media Literacy. SAGE.
Sabir, M., 2010. Political Puzzles and Prospect of Media in Pakistan. Journal of Political
Studies
Sabir, M., 2011. The State, Media, Religion and Emerging Challenges. A Research
Journal of South Asian Studies
Sabir, M., 2012, Analysis of mass media: Influences on Socio-political perceptions and
stability in Pakistan
Vivien Burr, (1995), An Introduction to social construction, USA and Canada
Nigel King and Christine Horrocks, (2010), Interview in qualitative research, Sage
London

Gilani, Syed Khalid Raza

Project Plan

Steinar Kvale, (1996), Interviews, an introduction to qualitative research interviewing,

Sage London
Azam Khan, 2010, Electronic media in Pakistan
Dr. Aijaz Ali Wassan, Role/ State of Electronic Media in Pakistani Society: A
Sociological Analysis
Michael kugelman, 2012, Social media in Pakistan: Catalyst for communication, not
change
Time Line for Project:
The tentative time line for the project writing is,

Feb (1 -15): Collection and initial readings of relevant material

Feb (16-28): Writing the introduction and basic content analysis
Last week of Feb: Final questionnaire for interviews and taking time from my
interviewees
First week of March: Interviews
2nd week of Mar 1st week of April: Analysis of the material / interviews and start
writing the process paper Submission of process paper
May: Finalization of final thesis and submission
June: Examination