Diversity or homogeny: concentration of ownership and media diversity in Pakistan

Abstract

Using democratic participant theory as a framework to explain media perfor-mance, this article examines the implications of ownership concentration and diversity on democracy and analyzes the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) endeavors to implement the principle of diversity as espoused in its mandate. It finds that though PEMRA accelerated the growth of electronic media in Pakistan, it failed to promote local and diverse media as PEMRA policies supported diagonal integration and lead to concentration of ownership. PEMRA was also criticized for suppressing independent media when it was brought under the control of Ministry of Information in 2007. The study concludes that regulatory mechanisms in developing countries like Pakistan are still a tool in the hands of the government to control media, and development of a participatory and diverse media is a normative ideal not yet translated into reality.