THE ELITES’ RHETORIC AND RALLY-ROUND-THE FLAG PHENOMENON ON THE ISSUE OF KASHMIR: ANALYZING THE COVERAGE OF DAWN AND NAWA-E-WAQT AT THE TIME OF VIOLENCE

Abstract

This article investigates Pakistani media approach towards Kashmir conflict at the time of violence, whereas the researcher evaluates the overall media coverage on the basis of elites’ debate (Bennett, 1990), and Hallin’s spheres (1986) with major objective to add the influence of ‘popular support’ of public i.e. rally-round-the flag phenomenon into the available scholarship on political communication. To carry out this study contently, the researcher selected two newspapers i.e. the English language newspaper- Dawn, and Urdu daily Nawae-Waqt as both have their active role in highlighting the policy issues, especially the issue of Kashmir. The overall findings of this study suggest that elites’ consensus over the issue of Kashmir activated highly supportive coverage in media while the prevailing environment around Kashmir conflict- after the incident of Burhan Wani- created sphere of consensus, which mobilized popular support against the Indian aggression, establishing the rally-round-the flag phenomenon.