GENDER DYNAMICS IN PAKISTANI MEDIA CONVERSATIONS

Abstract

This study assesses the gender aspects of Pakistani media interactions, specifically the gendered aspects of turn-taking in Pakistani podcasts and TV shows. It analyses interruptions, turn-taking, and language use between different combinations of genres and formats. Results show that despite the gender representation, males are still the most dominant in the reporting of TV shows, with dominance coming from the amount of time they speak, the level of interruptions, and a panel of men. On the other hand, the ‘power’ relations are more evenly distributed in the podcasts. However, the guest male members still have absolute control over the dynamics of the subject matter and provide comprehensive answers to the issues at hand. This study examines the problem of balancing cultural aspects and mediatised forms of conversation, pointing at the necessity to balance the representation of various voices and meaningful communication in a social context.