Patterns Of Press Partisanship: A Framing Study Of Pre And Post Polls Of 2018 In Pakistan

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the Editorial treatment of elite Urdu and English press of Pakistan on framing of pre and post polls of 2018. The focus of this study is to find out the press patterns in pre and post polls by identifying conflict frame, Attribution of Responsibility frame and Economic consequences frame. Editorials of six newspapers Roznama  Express, Roznama Dunya , Roznama  Khabrain, Dawn, The News and The Nation on framing of pre and post  polls of 2018 from 15^th July 2018 to 3^rd  August 2018 were selected. The researcher designed a coding sheet by selecting three frames for PML (N) and PTI. The theoretical framework for this research is based on framing theory. The research followed quantitative research design content analysis strategy. The findings of the study are the Urdu and English  press unfavorably framed PML(N) as compared to PTI before 2018 elections and more favorably framed PTI as compared to PML (N) after 2018 elections.