The Impact of Media Coverage on Political Behavior among Pakistani Students: A Case Study of GC Women University Sialkot

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of media coverage on the political behaviour of youth in Pakistan by incorporating how different forms of media coverage including biased, sensationalized, neutral and investigative affect the political engagement of university students. In an age dominated by digital connectivity and rapid information exchange, both traditional and digital media have become influential in shaping political awareness, opinions and participation among young people. The quantitative and descriptive approach has been adopted and an online survey was conducted targeting the students of all running semesters of BS and MS from social sciences, natural sciences and administrative sciences at GCWUS. Using Cochran’s formula, minimum required sample size was collected 367 and the responses received were 370. The descriptive and inferential ststistics were used to analyse the data. The findings reveal that while media, especially social media, significantly enhances political awareness, it also exposes youth to emotionally charged or polarized narratives that may lead to confusion, distrust or selective participation. Neutral and investigative reporting was determined to promote issue-based engagement and critical thinking while sensational and biased content gave rise to political division or indifference. It is recommended that cooperative initiatives be employed by policymakers, academic institutions, and media companies to encourage balanced reporting and media literacy, as this will make youth more critically and constructively engage in democratic processes.