The relationship between employers and employees within Pakistan's media landscape has long been fraught with challenges, ranging from delayed salaries to censorship pressures and job insecurity. While the media industry projects itself as the watchdog of society, ironically, its internal employer-employee dynamics often betray principles of fairness and transparency. However, as media continues to evolve under economic, political, and technological pressures, the urgency for improving these relations becomes even more critical.
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Pakistan's media industry has witnessed remarkable growth over the past two decades, transitioning from a tightly controlled state monopoly to a vibrant, albeit chaotic, private sector-dominated space. Channels multiplied, print media expanded, digital journalism found its foothold, and a new wave of employment opportunities surged. However, this expansion was not always accompanied by commensurate development in labour rights, ethical practices, or employer accountability.
Media workers, whether in print, electronic, or digital formats, face a multitude of issues, including irregular salary payments, sudden layoffs without notice or compensation, exploitative working hours, the absence of contracts, and pressure to conform to editorial lines that serve corporate or political interests. Moreover, Media owners, often entangled with political and business elites, prioritize financial survival and influence over worker welfare. Therefore, in this context, the employer-employee relationship becomes more about transactional survival than professional partnership.
One of the most pressing grievances among media employees in Pakistan is the persistent issue of salary delays and wage disparities. Despite court orders and labour laws mandating timely payment of salaries, many journalists and media workers report going months without receiving their dues. A stark and well-documented example is the crisis at BOL Network, where employees staged prolonged protests in 2019 and 2020 after going unpaid for over eight months. Furthermore, a 2020 report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic was used as a pretext by many media houses to enforce salary cuts, delays, and terminations, even among financially stable organizations. This report corroborates claims that prominent media houses with significant profits often still withhold payments under the pretext of economic downturns or delayed government advertising funds. For junior staff and field reporters, who risk their lives to bring news from conflict zones, the situation is even graver. According to reports by media watchdogs such as Freedom Network and the PFUJ, many media houses engage in discriminatory payment practices, favouring celebrity anchors with hefty salaries while overlooking the needs of behind-the-scenes staff.
Another critical issue is the lack of formal employment contracts. Many journalists work without signed agreements, leaving them vulnerable to arbitrary dismissal and devoid of severance benefits. Studies by organizations like the PFUJ have consistently shown that a significant percentage of media workers, particularly those in regional and digital media, operate on verbal agreements or short-term, rolling contracts. Without a binding document outlining roles, responsibilities, and rights, media workers have limited legal standing to challenge exploitative practices. In contrast, even when contracts exist, they are often vaguely worded or skewed heavily in favour of the employer. Mass layoffs without prior notice became a common sight, especially during the economic crunch following the 2018 general elections. During this period, major media conglomerates, including the Jang/Geo Group and Dawn Media Group, laid off hundreds of employees, citing financial unsustainability and cuts in government advertising revenue. Consequently, the resultant job insecurity discourages young journalists from pursuing investigative journalism, forcing many to engage in self-censorship or pursue alternative careers altogether.
Additionally, the overarching presence of political and business interests has a significant impact on employer-employee relations in the media. Owners often dictate editorial policies aligned with their political affiliations, compelling employees to compromise on journalistic ethics or face termination. A prominent example is the case of veteran journalist Talat Hussain, who was abruptly fired from Geo News in 2019 after his critical commentary allegedly displeased the state establishment, illustrating how external political pressures can influence employer decisions. This politicization of the newsroom creates a toxic working environment where loyalty to an owner's political narrative supersedes professional merit. The pressure on journalists to adhere to editorial lines has intensified in recent years, a trend underscored by Pakistan's consistently low ranking in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, which cites institutional censorship and pressure from both state and non-state actors. Employers' interests, often influenced by directives from regulatory bodies like the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), which align with the government's stance, not only restrict journalistic freedom but also severely strain the trust between media workers and management.
Moreover, a significant weakness in Pakistan's media industry is the diminishing role of unions and collective bargaining units. Where once journalist unions wielded significant influence, crackdowns, internal divisions, and economic constraints have eroded their power. Media owners have often discouraged union activities, sometimes threatening to dismiss those who engage in union membership or activism. A key strategy employed by media houses to weaken unions has been the widespread adoption of the "contract employee" system, which often makes workers ineligible for union membership under traditional bylaws, thereby fragmenting the workforce. Meanwhile, without a strong collective voice, individual employees find themselves isolated and powerless against large corporate entities. For instance, despite numerous strikes and protests organized by the PFUJ against salary delays and layoffs, media houses have frequently ignored their demands or taken retaliatory actions against participating journalists, knowing that the unions lack the legal teeth for enforcement. Hence, the absence of collective bargaining hampers efforts to institutionalize fair labour practices, leaving employees perpetually vulnerable.
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The employer-employee dynamics in Pakistan's media industry reveal a stark contradiction: an industry that champions transparency and accountability often fails to practice these principles within its ranks. Structural inequalities, political patronage, and weak regulatory frameworks have entrenched exploitative practices. While some positive steps, such as court-mandated salary payments and limited union activism, show potential, a systemic overhaul remains elusive. Without strong enforcement of labour laws, genuine editorial independence, and robust unions, the industry risks not only the well-being of its workforce but also its credibility as the fourth estate of democracy.
Thus, employer-employee relations within Pakistan's media industry paint a troubling picture of inequality, insecurity, and exploitation. Despite playing a pivotal role in informing and shaping public opinion, media organizations often neglect the rights and welfare of their employees. Similarly, wage issues, contractual ambiguities, political interference, and lack of unionization continue to dominate the landscape, making it imperative for stakeholders to initiate reform. Strengthening labour protections, depoliticizing newsrooms, and fostering professional solidarity are essential steps towards building a media ecosystem that truly upholds the values it publicly advocates. Only then can Pakistan's media fulfil its democratic promise with integrity and resilience.
