SYED ALI AKBAR GARDEZI , DR. SHAHZAD ALI
DOI: https://doi.org/This study compares the portrayal of the marginalized groups in Pakistani and Indian media. It explores and analyzes the misrepresentation of minority religious groups, ethnic communities, women, transgender communities and poorer segments of the population in both the traditional and digital media domain. The research is based on the latest research in the field of media studies, political economy, and communication theory and acquires the method of qualitative comparative analysis. The results show that, although brought up with the goal of equality and the freedom of expression in print journalism of both countries, the media portrayal is more episodic, more crisis-related and is interpreted in a way that can be identified as a dominant narrative in the ideological spectrum. The media sector in Pakistan is more focused on PEMRA, whereas in India it reflects more of a business oriented and also politically divided sector. Both systems lead, however, to a marked lack of representation of marginalized voices in structures. The study sees limitations in the legal frameworks in terms of ensuring inclusive representation and suggests formal diversification in media, ethical reforms in journalism and algorithmic accountability to make the media more inclusive in South Asia.
