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The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
Electronic Media and Interpersonal Discourse: Mediation in Crises
Masrur Alam Khan*
Rehana Masrur Khan**
ABSTRACT
The uses and gratifications theory addresses individuals’ social integrative needs through
interpersonal interaction within social network as conversational currency. The media,
specifically electronic media, provides a common ground for social integration among
individuals. This study examines how electronic media portrays the most sensitive issue
of militant insurgency in the country and subsequently mediates it through interpersonal
discourse to develop their social consensus.
In this study, television news channel has been conceptualized as main source of
information that leads to interpersonal discourse on current burning issue in the country.
It is hypothesized that the greater exposure to television news, the greater the
interpersonal discourse about militant insurgency. Secondly, the exposure to television
news through mediation of interpersonal discourse increases social empathy towards the
victim of militants. Empathic individuals often have a strong self-concept and high selfesteem,
which enables them to be generous with others, particularly those 30 million
Internally Displaced Persons of North West frontier region of the country who have been
victims of present militant insurgency.
The study empirically confirms the influence of electronic media through interpersonal
discourse which has created a sense of efficacy toward victims of militant insurgency d
Key Words: Electronic Media, Interpersonal Discourse, Mediation, Uses and
Gratifications, and Militant Insurgency
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* Professor/Dr. and Head, Department of Mass Communication at NUST Business
School, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan,
masrurk@yahoo.com
** Professor/Dr. and Dean Faculty of Education Allama Iqbal Open University,
Islamabad, Pakistan
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