title: Representations of Domestic Violence in Pakistani Television News and Activist Campaigns: Perspectives from Journalists, Women's Rights Campaigners, and Audiences

authors: Nasir, Omer Bin

subjects: Representations of Domestic Violence in Pakistani Television News and Activist Campaigns

abstract: This thesis offers an in-depth examination of the representation of domestic violence news on television channels and in activists’ campaigns in Pakistan from the perspective of journalists, women’s rights activists, and audiences. It is a compilation of five studies; three investigate the perspectives of Pakistani television news journalists regarding representation, professional ethics, and journalistic imperatives involved in domestic violence news reporting. The fourth study examines the viewpoints of Pakistani women’s rights activists regarding domestic violence news coverage and how activist campaigns represent the issue in their efforts to highlight and prevent this kind of violence. The fifth study is centred on Pakistani audiences’ responses to news media reporting of domestic violence and materials designed to draw attention to women’s rights issues including campaigns against domestic violence. Together, these studies provide important insights into the as yet largely unexamined issue of how domestic violence is portrayed in television news and activists’ campaign materials in Pakistan. Research for this thesis was conducted using qualitative methodological approaches. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with television news journalists and women’s rights activists, and four focus groups with Pakistani television news audiences. Eleven experienced Pakistani television news journalists were interviewed to explore: how Pakistani television news media represent domestic violence; how reporting is perceived to reflect ethical practices; and which journalistic imperatives are involved in the selection of news. Five Pakistani women’s rights activists were interviewed to explore their views about domestic violence reporting in mainstream media and how they address domestic violence violence in the course of their activism. To understand audience responses to domestic violence reporting on television news and women’s rights activists’ campaigns, 22 participants (11 females and 11 males) constituting focus groups representing higher, middle, and lower socioeconomic backgrounds were recruited. All four focus groups were conducted in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The research findings demonstrate how socio-cultural factors and ethical practices shape Pakistani journalists, activists, and audience understanding of domestic violence. Even though domestic violence has been criminalised in Pakistan, television news channels do not prioritise it in primetime reporting unless the incident is particularly horrific or involves well known named individuals. The coverage is predominantly incident-based and relies on limited sources. The research findings highlighted that there are no written guidelines or training for the coverage of domestic violence. At most, journalists do not disclose the victim’s identity, though this is not consistently practised. Consent is also often bypassed and data gathering practices can be unethical. Pakistani activists and audiences were of the view that coverage of domestic violence provided by television news is limited and sensational, while Pakistani audiences expressed appreciation for women’s rights campaign materials initiating educated and transformative debate about the endemic and structural social nature of women subjugation. Women’s rights activists cited patriarchal cultural practices and an unresponsive state as factors that contribute towards the widespread abuse of women in the country, and perceive the news media to be only interested in generating controversy and ratings. This thesis identifies an urgent need to develop comprehensive ethical guidelines and training programmes for responsible reporting of domestic violence on television news channels in Pakistan. Dialogue between decision makers in television news organisations and women’s rights activists should be initiated to shift the focus of the news agenda towards promoting better awareness and understanding of the causes and consequences of domestic violence in Pakistan.

text: Representations of Domestic Violence in Pakistani Television News and Activist Campaigns: Perspectives from Journalists, Women's Rights Campaigners, and Audiences This thesis offers an in-depth examination of the representation of domestic violence news on television channels and in activists’ campaigns in Pakistan from the perspective of journalists, women’s rights activists, and audiences. It is a compilation of five studies; three investigate the perspectives of Pakistani television news journalists regarding representation, professional ethics, and journalistic imperatives involved in domestic violence news reporting. The fourth study examines the viewpoints of Pakistani women’s rights activists regarding domestic violence news coverage and how activist campaigns represent the issue in their efforts to highlight and prevent this kind of violence. The fifth study is centred on Pakistani audiences’ responses to news media reporting of domestic violence and materials designed to draw attention to women’s rights issues including campaigns against domestic violence. Together, these studies provide important insights into the as yet largely unexamined issue of how domestic violence is portrayed in television news and activists’ campaign materials in Pakistan. Research for this thesis was conducted using qualitative methodological approaches. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with television news journalists and women’s rights activists, and four focus groups with Pakistani television news audiences. Eleven experienced Pakistani television news journalists were interviewed to explore: how Pakistani television news media represent domestic violence; how reporting is perceived to reflect ethical practices; and which journalistic imperatives are involved in the selection of news. Five Pakistani women’s rights activists were interviewed to explore their views about domestic violence reporting in mainstream media and how they address domestic violence violence in the course of their activism. To understand audience responses to domestic violence reporting on television news and women’s rights activists’ campaigns, 22 participants (11 females and 11 males) constituting focus groups representing higher, middle, and lower socioeconomic backgrounds were recruited. All four focus groups were conducted in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The research findings demonstrate how socio-cultural factors and ethical practices shape Pakistani journalists, activists, and audience understanding of domestic violence. Even though domestic violence has been criminalised in Pakistan, television news channels do not prioritise it in primetime reporting unless the incident is particularly horrific or involves well known named individuals. The coverage is predominantly incident-based and relies on limited sources. The research findings highlighted that there are no written guidelines or training for the coverage of domestic violence. At most, journalists do not disclose the victim’s identity, though this is not consistently practised. Consent is also often bypassed and data gathering practices can be unethical. Pakistani activists and audiences were of the view that coverage of domestic violence provided by television news is limited and sensational, while Pakistani audiences expressed appreciation for women’s rights campaign materials initiating educated and transformative debate about the endemic and structural social nature of women subjugation. Women’s rights activists cited patriarchal cultural practices and an unresponsive state as factors that contribute towards the widespread abuse of women in the country, and perceive the news media to be only interested in generating controversy and ratings. This thesis identifies an urgent need to develop comprehensive ethical guidelines and training programmes for responsible reporting of domestic violence on television news channels in Pakistan. Dialogue between decision makers in television news organisations and women’s rights activists should be initiated to shift the focus of the news agenda towards promoting better awareness and understanding of the causes and consequences of domestic violence in Pakistan.

year: 2024

title: A collection of surveys on market experiments

authors: Noussair, Charles N.

abstract: This paper highlights the contributions in this special issue to the very large and rapidly growing research on experimental markets. It contains ten surveys of different streams of research in this area including asset markets, contests, environmental policy, frictions, general equilibrium, labor markets, multi-unit auctions, oligopoly markets, and prediction markets.

text: A collection of surveys on market experiments This paper highlights the contributions in this special issue to the very large and rapidly growing research on experimental markets. It contains ten surveys of different streams of research in this area including asset markets, contests, environmental policy, frictions, general equilibrium, labor markets, multi-unit auctions, oligopoly markets, and prediction markets.

year: 2013

title: The Treaty, tikanga Māori, ecosystem-based management, mainstream law and power sharing for environmental integrity in Aotearoa New Zealand – possible ways forward

authors: Joseph, Robert

subjects: Maori, ecosystem-based management, coastal marine estate, sustainability, Treaty of Waitangi

abstract: Ecosystem-based management (EBM) has become an appropriate international response for addressing alarming global environmental degradation trends. EBM is designed and executed as an adaptive, learning-based process that applies the following common international principles:
•	the connections and relationships within an ecosystem;
•	the cumulative impacts that affect marine welfare; 
•	focus on maintaining the natural structure and function of ecosystems and their productivity;
•	incorporate human use and values of ecosystems in managing the resource;
•	recognise that ecosystems are dynamic and constantly changing;
•	are based on a shared vision of all key participants; and
•	are based on scientific knowledge, adopted by continual learning and monitoring.

The New Zealand Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge agrees with these EBM principles but has adapted them into an Aotearoa New Zealand theoretical approach that fundamentally acknowledges mātauranga and tikanga Māori law hence the following Aotearoa New Zealand EBM principles:
•	a co-governance and co-design structure that recognises the Māori constitutional relationship and mana whenua at all levels (whānau, hapū, iwi), together with the guiding principles of mauri, whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, mātauranga-a-iwi and mātauranga-a-hapū;
•	is place and time-specific, recognising/understanding the ecosystem as a whole in all its ecological complexities and connectedness and addressing cumulative and multiple stressors;
•	acknowledges humans as ecosystem components with multiple values;
•	views long-term sustainability as a fundamental value, in particular maintaining values and uses for future generations;
•	includes collaborative and participatory management throughout the whole process, considering all values and involving all interested parties from agencies and iwi to industries, whānau, hapū and local communities;
•	has clear goals and objectives based on knowledge; and
•	includes adaptive management, appropriate monitoring and acknowledgement of uncertainty.

The report focuses on analysing EBM through the incorporation of mātauranga and tikanga Māori and power sharing through Treaty partnerships over the marine and coastal estate.

text: The Treaty, tikanga Māori, ecosystem-based management, mainstream law and power sharing for environmental integrity in Aotearoa New Zealand – possible ways forward Ecosystem-based management (EBM) has become an appropriate international response for addressing alarming global environmental degradation trends. EBM is designed and executed as an adaptive, learning-based process that applies the following common international principles:
•	the connections and relationships within an ecosystem;
•	the cumulative impacts that affect marine welfare; 
•	focus on maintaining the natural structure and function of ecosystems and their productivity;
•	incorporate human use and values of ecosystems in managing the resource;
•	recognise that ecosystems are dynamic and constantly changing;
•	are based on a shared vision of all key participants; and
•	are based on scientific knowledge, adopted by continual learning and monitoring.

The New Zealand Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge agrees with these EBM principles but has adapted them into an Aotearoa New Zealand theoretical approach that fundamentally acknowledges mātauranga and tikanga Māori law hence the following Aotearoa New Zealand EBM principles:
•	a co-governance and co-design structure that recognises the Māori constitutional relationship and mana whenua at all levels (whānau, hapū, iwi), together with the guiding principles of mauri, whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, mātauranga-a-iwi and mātauranga-a-hapū;
•	is place and time-specific, recognising/understanding the ecosystem as a whole in all its ecological complexities and connectedness and addressing cumulative and multiple stressors;
•	acknowledges humans as ecosystem components with multiple values;
•	views long-term sustainability as a fundamental value, in particular maintaining values and uses for future generations;
•	includes collaborative and participatory management throughout the whole process, considering all values and involving all interested parties from agencies and iwi to industries, whānau, hapū and local communities;
•	has clear goals and objectives based on knowledge; and
•	includes adaptive management, appropriate monitoring and acknowledgement of uncertainty.

The report focuses on analysing EBM through the incorporation of mātauranga and tikanga Māori and power sharing through Treaty partnerships over the marine and coastal estate.

year: 2019-07-30