Academic Research International Vol. 5(4) July 2014
Copyright © 2014 SAVAP International ISSN: 2223-9944, eISSN: 2223-9553
www.savap.org.pk 296 www.journals.savap.org.pk
Understanding Breaking News from Viewer’s Perspective:
A Phenomenological Approach
Nosheen Hussain
1
, Syed Azfar Ali
2
, Samreen Razi
3
1
Sindh Madressatul Islam University, PAKISTAN.
1
nhussain@smiu.edu.pk,
2
sazfar@smiu.edu.pk,
3
srazi@smiu.edu.pk
ABSTRACT
Number of news channels in Pakistan is increasing since the emergence of electronic
media in the country and it get boost with the establishment of a regulatory authority
PEMRA, which aimed at managing the content and issuing the licenses to all electronic
media channels (including radio & TV). Emerging trends of providing news, information
& knowledge creates a huge scope for news channels which further leads to the
innovating ideas of news production. This trend gave birth to the concept of ‘Breaking
News’, in which sudden news comes on the TV screen with eye catchy screen
enhancements to attract majority of viewers. Keeping in view the effects of hard core
news, this study wants to understand the meaning of the term ‘Breaking news’ from
participant’s perspective. This research also aims at identifying the significance and
impact of breaking news on viewers. This qualitative study is done through the
unstructured interviews conducted with individuals with high news exposure. It is found
from the results of the research that people perceive breaking news as sudden shock &
information provided in a gist or summery. It is also found that individuals consider
breaking news highly effective in providing immediate & recent information especially in
bad law & order situation that makes them take extra safety measures & care. The
results of this study suggests that media should show some sensibility and maturity in
considering any news as breaking so as not to make the viewers desensitized toward it or
to ignore it.
Keywords: Media, Breaking News, Impact, News Channels
INTRODUCTION
Preamble
As electronic media is flourishing in Pakistan since the establishment of PEMRA in 2001,
audience is experiencing new and innovative things which they have not experienced before,
due to the huge flow of information. So, individuals may have different reactions toward it.
Media in order to capture the eyes of audience use various strategies and varieties in their
programs to ensure the maximum viewership. Viewership is directly associated with ratings
of a particular program and these ratings make the industry competitive. So this high
competition is changing media priorities continuously. These quick changes may have
various influences on the viewers, as media effect theories also suggest the same. In the last
one decade, Pakistan’s electronic media has experimented lots of ideas, some borrowed from
international media and others were initiated. People accepted many things initially, because
of the charm and attraction of a new medium but as time passes and viewers become use to of
it, they then have their own choices and preferences to select the message. And in the
availability of wide range of TV channel options, it become easier for viewers to choose
among them. Electronic media has changes the concept of many things from hard core issues
till the entertainment zone.
News may not have one single and unique definition but in short it is something which
everyone wants to know and is interested to know. News is something which provides