Newspapers in Peril: Rationalizing the Economic Challenges of Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) upon Regional Journalists in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Mass media play a decisive role in distributing health knowledge and awareness about health diseases. Covid-19 has been measured as the most dangerous health hazard of the 21st century that has constituted social, environmental and financial perils for humanity, including the media outlets. However, the Pakistani newspaper industry was already witnessing a decline in its readership and coronavirus has further deteriorated the situation for journalists working in regional newspapers. The methodological design using indepth interviews seeks to discover the financial difficulties faced by journalists employed in local or regional newspapers in Hyderabad city of Sindh province, Pakistan. The distress of unpaid salaries, financial security and paid leave were recognized as dominant elements that emerged during the present investigation as the extension to studies conducted concerning health communication. Therefore, this research suggests that government and business tycoons should financially collaborate with each other to consider challenges encountered by journalists for the survival of the newspaper industry in Pakistan.

Ethnic Newspaper Industry in Pakistan and Impacts of Corporate Ownership

“…Such studies have therefore suggested 'prompt action on the part of appropriate bodies to amend relevant codes of ethics' (Kamboh & Ittefaq, 2019: 2). They also demand necessary actions to establish collaboration between the government and owners of economically weak newspapers, 'to consider financial challenges encountered by journalists for the survival of the newspaper industry in Pakistan' (Nizamani et al, 2020), notably also in the context of COVID-related predicaments (Shah et al, 2021).…”