Kashmir Conflict: Coverage of Human Rights Violation by Dawn, The New York Times, and The Indian Express

Abstract

Media is an important force in conflict situations owing to its capability to persuade adversaries and influence their actions. The issue of whether this impact is positive or negative is resolved by the nature of the journalism offered to the parties in conflict. Media shapes people’s thought process: it influences public perception on specific issues by using the framing and priming techniques. By using framing theory, this article investigates how three leading newspapers (Dawn, The New York Times and The Indian Express) frame the issue of human rights violation in Kashmir in their respective news stories and how these diverging coverage methods influence public opinion. Furthermore, by using the content analysis method, it is intended to analyze how much importance the international community gives to the world press in making sense of the violence in Kashmir.