High-Context Low-Context Communication in Pakistani News Channels: A Comparative Study

Authors

  • Nazra Zahid Shaikh Senior Lecturer, Department of English, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hamdard University Main Campus, Karachi, Pakistan Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64229/sk31yt52

Keywords:

High-context Communication, Low-context Communication, Media Framing, News Bias, PEMRA Guidelines

Abstract

This research explores high-context and low-context styles of communication used in Pakistani news-television programs by employing Edward T. Hall's [1] model of culture. Pakistan’s media operates within an environment of indirect regulation, where news coverage is often shaped by unspoken narratives, political pressures, and audience demand. This qualitative study examines the language used by Pakistan's most prominent TV news channels i.e. Geo News, ARY News, Dawn News, and Samaa TV to analyze how high-context (indirect, relational) and low-context (direct, factual) communication styles emerge in news reporting. The results of the study show that political orientation, regional prejudice and audience literacy level all play an important role in the adoption of high or low context approach by channels. The paper concludes with suggestions of how media professionals can contribute to the more clear and objective dissemination of news.

References

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[5]PEMRA Reports (2023). *Content Regulation Guidelines*.

[6]Riaz, S. (2017). Media dynamics in Pakistan: Journalistic practices, regulatory frameworks, and conflicts. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62713-5

[7]Hall, E. T. (1976). *Beyond Culture*. Anchor Books.

[8]Waisbord, S. (2013). Reinventing professionalism: Journalism and news in global perspective. Polity Press.

[9]Esser, F., & Hanitzsch, T. (Eds.). (2012). The handbook of comparative communication research. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203149102

[10]Lindlof, T. R., & Taylor, B. C. (2019). Qualitative communication research methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

[11]Thomas, P. N. (2010). Political economy of communications in India: The good, the bad and the ugly. SAGE Publications India.

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Published

2025-08-08

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Nazra Zahid Shaikh (Author)

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