Pakistani media's response to the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis

The COVID-19 Pandemic became one of the biggest threats that confronted societies and governments all over the world including Pakistan. It may, therefore, be relevant to assess the Pakistani media, which still is the source of information for the masses. Though the Pandemic in now over, the media today must learn or rather re-orient with a ‘New Pandemic Narrative’ for Pakistan whilst keeping the highest standards of truth, accuracy, and responsibility. It is crucial to return the focus to actual science, evidence, and consensus rather than partisan misinformation and sensationalism. Only with informed citizens can Pakistan effectively come out from a future crisis and that cannot happen without the anchoring of facts. Public and community health is often overlooked by mainstream media, which tends to prioritize politico-social issues. This poses a greater challenge for media professionals in gathering data, reporting facts, and disseminating information. This study employs a descriptive method that uses empirical data to assess the function of the media in Pakistan and analyze its responsibilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic.