https://doi.org/10.1177/1329878X211017329
Media International Australia
1–16
© The Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/1329878X211017329
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Corresponding author:
Muhammad Ittefaq, William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications, The University of Kansas,
1435 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
Email: muhammadittefaq@ku.edu
Twitter: @IttefaqM
1017329MIA 0 0 10.1177/1329878X211017329Media International AustraliaIttefaq et al.
research-article 2021
Original Article
Converged journalism: practices
and influences in Pakistan
Muhammad Ittefaq
The University of Kansas, USA
Waqas Ejaz
National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan
Shahira S Fahmy
The American University in Cairo, Egypt
Ammar Malik Sheikh
Forman Christian College, Pakistan
Abstract
Based on the hierarchy of influences model, we explored journalists’ understanding and perceptions
about media convergence in Pakistan’s media industry and its influence on journalistic practices
and routines. In-depth interviews with Pakistani news practitioners revealed several challenges
hindering the successful implementation of media convergence in Pakistan. These challenges
included the lack of resources for incorporating digital technologies, the lack of financial incentives,
and stringent journalistic work routines, we found that technology-induced routines have severely
affected both the personal and the professional lives of media practitioners. The adoption of
convergence in Pakistan has been largely based on economic and commercial concerns rather
than attempts to improve the quality of media content. Overall, the work contributes to the
media convergence literature by providing insights from an emerging non-Western media system.
Keywords
interactive media, media convergence, Pakistani journalists, the hierarchy of influences model