Human development and advocacy journalism: Analysis of low editorial coverage in Pakistan

Context Despite being a nuclear power, Pakistan does not have satisfactory human development indicators. The 2018 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI) ranking places it at 150 out of 189 countries, the lowest in the region after Afghanistan. Purpose This article examines advocacy journalism coverage of human development issues versus other issues in the contents of mainstream Pakistani newspapers and investigates the factors behind the inadequate space give n to them. The study further explores the association between editorial and readers’ priorities. Methods The quantitative content analysis method is used to measure and compare the frequency of sample content in five categories coupled with qualitative in‐depth interviews with veteran journalists/academics to explain the factors that influence the editorial content. Findings Rather than use precious space to comment on social hardship and ultimately improve the country’s HDI value, editorial content is dominated by the discourse produced by the communication bureaucracies of powerful national and international establishments. Issues‐based policies of the state and political actors that do not concern human development, and warmongering and actual conflicts with India and Afghanistan, are given considerably greater coverage. Moreover, readers’ reactions to editorial content through Facebook Likes indicate a clear difference between editorial and readers’ priorities. Policy Implications The communication aspects of development programmes should actively feed editorial boards regarding current global development agendas to ensure sufficient coverage of their advocacy. It is imperative to make the UNESCO‐led syllabus Teaching Journalism for Sustainable Development an integral part of the country’s journalism curriculum. Relevant bodies should organize professional editorial training to raise awareness of how to use precious space wisely for the advocacy of development issues and how to be alert to the readers’ priority issues.