Media Narratives on Women’s Rights in Pakistan: A Comparative Corpus Study of Local and International Framing Practices

Abstract

This study explores the portrayal of women’s rights in Pakistan’s leading news outlets through the theoretical lens of Erving Goffman’s (1981b) theory of framing. Goffman’s framing theory asserts that individuals use pre-existing frames to interpret social situations, thus shaping their understanding of reality. The research employs a qualitative methodology, analyzing a random sample of prime-time news talk shows from both local channels (Samaa TV, ARY News, Geo News) and international outlets (BBC, Al Jazeera). The analysis reveals distinct framing patterns, highlighting the influence of sociocultural and political factors in shaping the media discourse on women’s rights. The findings indicate that while local media often focus on cultural values and protective frameworks, international outlets adopt a more global, rights-based perspective. Linguistic and thematic patterns further demonstrate the disparities between the framing of women’s rights in Pakistani and foreign media, offering insights into the role of media in shaping public perceptions of gender equality.