Analyzing the News Coverage of the Marginalized Group of Transgender People in Pakistani Media

Abstract

TheresearchersanalyzedhowPakistanimediareportissuesrelatingtotransgenderpeopleintheir routine news coverage. After selecting the reputed English-language newspapers Dawnand The News, the researchers employed content analysis to examine the media approachtoward transgender people thoroughly. The findings of the study revealed a 'soft approach' ofmedia toward this marginalized group, as both newspapers highlighted their issue morefavorably, supporting the stances of transgender people, especially regarding the security orthreatsbeingfacedbythem.AccordingtoGilligetal.(2018),watchingstoriesabouttransgender people decreased the [negative] impact of political ideology on the opinions ofviewers. As a result, the main findings of this study reflect the supportive attitude towardtransgenderpeopleinPakistanimedia.ThisapproachofmediainPakistanwillhelptoreducenegativeperceptionsabouttransgenderpeoplebecausemoreconservativeviewers'perceptions have changed as a result of seeing more positive media representations of theseindividuals.Nonetheless,thereisaneedformorepositivenewscoveragebecausetransgender-related issues received a minimal amount of coverage—106 news stories over a year in bothof the selected newspapers—which appears to be an insufficient amount of coverage of thispopulation.