Issues in Media Communication

1. Issues in Media Communication Presentation Topic: Public Sphere with Reference to South Asia Representation

2. A public sphere began to emerge in the 18th C. through the growth of coffee houses, literary and other societies, voluntary associations, and the growth of the press. • ThePublic Sphereis an area in social life where individuals can come together to freely discuss and identify societal problems, and through that discussion influence political action. The term was originally coined by German philosopher Jürgen Habermas. Literature Review

3. Jürgen Habermaswrote The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere (1962) to explore the status of public opinion in the practice of representative government in Western Europe. • Habermas defined the public sphere as a virtual or imaginary community which does not necessarily exist in any identifiable space. • In its ideal form, the public sphere is "made up of private people gathered together as a public and articulating the needs of society with the state" Theorist Context

4. Habermas argues that the public sphere requires "specific means for transmitting information and influencing those who receive it". • Habermas' argument shows that the media are of particular importance for constituting and maintaining a public sphere. Media Role

5. Efforts to discipline the state, parliament and other agencies of representative government sought to manage this public sphere. The success of the public sphere depends upon: • the area of access (as close to universal as possible), • the degree of autonomy (the citizens must be free of enforcement), • the rejection of hierarchy (so that each might participate on an equal footing), • the rule of law (particularly the authority of the state), • and the quality of participation (the common commitment to the ways of logic) Ideal Public Sphere

6. Coverage of South Asia and the South East Asia

7. Coverage of Muslim Countries from South Asia and South East Asia in Time (1991-2001)

8. As far as language of these articles was concerned, it was found that language of the magazines was provocative, strong and superlative degrees were used. The headlines of the articles were also aggressive. Similarly, such phrases and words were used which deliberately distorted the image of Muslim world. For instance, ‘Kabul: Death of a city’, ‘Defenses that crumble before the Taliban onslaught’, ‘peace that terrified’, ‘women are house bound’, ‘Afghanistan’s new Islamic regime may prove both stabilizing and disruptive’, ‘tyranny of the Taliban’, ‘a visit to the capital of Afghanistan’s extremist regime reveals a harsh world of suppression and despair’, ‘central, Asia is a fundamentalist tinder box’, ‘a veteran rebel, another man down?’. Language Used by the Magazines for the Muslim World

9. It is universally believed that prime objective of the media is to create awareness. It links those who have limited chances of interaction with each other. Unfortunately, the American mainstream media including the Newsweek and Time magazines have primarily failed to do this obligation of promoting better international understanding. On the other hand, the magazines have been deliberately engaged in the propaganda campaign of building misconception distorting images and creating hatred in the minds of US citizens about Islam and Muslim world. It can be said that propaganda campaign ushered by the magazines was in corollary with the White House foreign policy towards Muslim countries. Issues Covered by Newsweek and Time

10. Words like fundamentalism, terrorist, extremist militant, and violent were found to be linked with the words like Muslim, Islam and Islamic . America media like New York Times, Washington Post, News Week, Time Magazine, CNN, CBS and NBC have been found to be using this technique, thereby distorting the image of Muslim world. INTERNATIONAL MEDIA DESTORING MUSLIM IMAGE

11. Overall coverage of United States Enemies in News week and Time Magazine The table shows that both the magazines carried 3764 sentences about United States enemies (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Libya), of which 4.88% (184) sentences were positive, US enemies received 36.45% negative coverage. The table also highlights that the proportion of negative coverage (36.45%) of US enemies was greater than proportion of positive coverage, of these 4.88% declared enemies of United States.

12. In this age of media, the formation of mental picture is not the creation of only our personal experiences. Media in many ways are responsible for the creation of these mental pictures. It is convenient to comment that dependency on information has increased substantially due to the satellite communication power in making, remaking, manipulating, and distorting different images and perceptions in the minds of target audiences. Mass Media: The Image Constructors

13. South Asian Countries

14. South Asian Giants

15. Public Sphere Representation of India in Local Media

16. Public Sphere Representation of India in Local Media

17. Public Sphere Representation of India in Local Media

18. Public Sphere Representation of Pakistan in Local Media

19. Public Sphere Representation of Pakistan in Local Media

20. Public Sphere Representation of Pakistan in Local Media

21. Public Sphere Representation in Local Media • Local Media of India and Pakistan covering all type of news but all news is based on the status quo. • Public Sphere of India and Pakistan has not been covered properly in Local Media. • Most of the News are based on accidents and developments in high class such as bureaucracy and establishment. • Media is covering the sensational news. • Negative News • Public Sphere Representation is Missing

22. Public Sphere Representation of India in Global Media - CNN

23. Public Sphere Representation of India in Global Media - BBC

24. Public Sphere Representation of India in Global Media – ALJAZEERA

25. Public Sphere Representation of Pakistan in Global Media - CNN

26. Public Sphere Representation of Pakistan in Global Media - BBC

27. Public Sphere Representation of India in Global Media – ALJAZEERA

28. Public Sphere Representation in Global Media • Political and Establishment News Coverage • Rarely Any Positive News • Development Based News • Terrorism Coverage • Border Issues Coverage • Rare Representation of Public Sphere

29. Major Challenges for South Asian Giants • Local Media • Foreign Policies • Progress of the Countries • Human Development • Education • Poverty

30. PUBLIC SPHERE OF AFGHANISTAN

31. Media system in Afghanistan does not reflect a better picture than other sectors of the society. It never grew exponentially in terms of variety of products and technology, unlike the wave of technological development one can witness in the under-developed and developing countries of the world. • One can hardly comment on its freedom as it has more often been a victim of unrest and wars. Communication Media

32. In this age of media, the formation of mental picture is not the creation of only our personal experiences. Media in many ways are responsible for the creation of these mental pictures • Magazine, CNN, CBS and NBC have been found to be using this technique, thereby distorting the image of Muslim world. Such words and phrases have been applied or associated with Muslim world. • positive and favorable words and phrases have also used for US friendly countries like Jordan, Egypt . The Image Constructors

33. Two leading US magazine News Week and Time magazine like other main stream media have been criticized for not being objective, fair and impartial in portrayal of Muslim world • The image of Afghanistan is being constantly destroyed by American media and America some times by sending troops to Afghanistan and sometimes by showing them terrorist in there media NEWSWEEK AND TIMES

34. Portrayal of Afghanistan in Newsweek and Time in Framing Perspective indicates that ratio of unfavourable articles was greater (75%) than favourable articles (NIL).

35. Overall coverage of Afghanistan in News week and Time Magazine The proportion of negative coverage (57.8%) was greater than the proportion of positive coverage (6.08%).

36. PUBLIC SPHERE OF KASHMIR

37. The Himalayan region of Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan for over six decades. • Since India's partition and the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the nuclear-armed neighbors have fought two wars over the Muslim-majority territory, which both claim in full but control in part. • Today it remains one of the most militarized zones in the world. KASHMIR

38. Reporting on Kashmir from both India and Pakistan mainstream media is deeply politicized and reflects the tension between the two countries. • Media in Indian-administered Kashmir are generally split between pro- and anti-secessionist. Local journalists work under strict curfews and also face threats from militant groups. Internet access is sporadic and text messaging services are regularly blocked. • In Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, the media are used mainly for propaganda purposes; mainly to highlight the alleged human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir. MEDIA OF TWO STATE

39. A lot has been said and written about Kashmir issue but least has been done to give people of valley back their identity and freedom. It is the height of international apathy on Kashmir issue that Heads of States of almost 140 countries addressed the UNGA but none of them discussed or mentioned Kashmir issue in their speeches. While the world leaders have gathered to discuss and decide the future of the world, people are being killed in Kashmir. There have been a curfew for months and people of Kashmir are restricted to their houses with no access to phone or internet Role of leaders of world

40. International media is being forced by India to show Kashmir and Gligit-Baltistan areas as parts of India as the Indian government threatened to sue those not complying with the ‘directions’. • When the English news magazine based in London, The Economist, showed Kashmir as a disputed area, it was forced to tender an explanation. Al-Jazeera’s transmissions were also banned for five days for showing the same map. • Google also succumbed to Indian pressure and started showing Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, K2 and Nanga Parbat as parts of India. Similarly, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was also forced to remove the post from his page that showed Indian map without Kashmir. • In 2015 also, Queensland University was forced to apologize for showing Azad Kashmir’s map upon Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Pressure by India on international media

41. India has also threatened to get the organizations punished that wouldn’t show Kashmir as a part of India. The Indian government also made a law according to which not showing Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan as parts of India will be punishable. • The worst thing is that the international websites and news channels that are viewed in Pakistan will also be showing Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir as parts of India. However, Pakistani government officials didn’t take any notice of whatever the Indians were doing. • Foreign Ministry didn’t do anything other than issuing a notice while Information Ministry also kept mum. Pakistan neither countered the move nor did it make the international institutions realize that Kashmir was a disputed region according to United Nations (UN), and that it couldn’t be shown a part of India under any condition COUNT

42. Thanks for your patience and attention “) Questions..?