COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EDITORIAL TREATMENT BY URDU PRESS OF PAKISTAN REGARDING ELECTIONS 2008

This research makes a comparative analysis of editorial coverage of elections 2008 in Pakistan. With reference to Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. The study presents content analysis of 202 editorials from Daily Express, Daily Jang and Daily Nawa-E-Waqat during six months time nperiod, from 18, October, 2007 to 18, April, 2008.The study establishes that in first two months of coverage before Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, all the newspapers had a diverse opinion about favorite political party in 2008 election campaign. In the second phase, after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, all the newspapers had changed their opinion and favored Pakistan People’s Party. In third phase coverage remain same as second phase. Agenda Setting Theory and frame model provide a theoretical framework for the study, Agenda Setting Theory provides a ground for comparison of era wise coverage. Results indicate that media agenda influence greatly public agenda. The study shows that elections 2008 results were very similar to newspapers’ party wise coverage. All those parties won more seats in parliament which were covered as favorite party in newspapers