Digital journalism sector fighting for survival against stacked odds: IRADA report

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 14 February 2023

The IRADA report highlights challenges faced by digital journalism start-ups in Pakistan. It emphasizes their dedication to public interest content and gender equality despite various pressures.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—According to a recent report by the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA), Pakistan's digital journalism start-ups are championing public interest content, free expression, and gender inclusivity despite facing financial challenges, safety risks, disinformation pressures, and resource constraints.

The 2022 "Challenges of Viability, Sustainability and Resilience of Indie Digital Journalism" report on the State of Digital Journalism provides an honest assessment of Pakistan's independent online journalism landscape, which is emerging amid an uptick in internet and social media usage and an accompanying crackdown on digital rights and online freedoms.

The report highlights the growing challenges to the viability and sustainability of independent digital journalism start-ups and explores how they are coping with these issues. It presents industry perspectives on the changing nature of journalism, challenges to freedom of expression, gender equality in digital media, the use of social networks for online journalism, the impact of disinformation, and the sustainability of media start-ups.

The study is based on interviews with Pakistani journalism practitioners, senior journalists, media freedom activists, and media experts. Respondents include Amber Rahim Shamsi, Badar Alam, Benazir Shah, Farah Zia, Farhatullah Babar, Hamid Mir, Haroon Rashid, Matiullah Jan, Ramsha Jahangir, Sabookh Syed, Talha Ahad, Xari Jalil, and Zaigham Khan, among others.

Aftab Alam, the Executive Director of IRADA and a co-author of the report, said the State of Digital Journalism report offers insight into the challenges faced by digital media but also relays suggestions about best practices and opportunities.

“Non-legacy digital journalism outlets in Pakistan have to contend with financial sustainability issues and threats brought about by disinformation, technology practices, and Internet policies in addition to the traditional risks to press freedom,” Mr. Alam said. “We hope the perspectives compiled in this report will inform the strategies needed by the digital journalism industry to resist and overcome these challenges.”

The report can be accessed here.