REPORTERS' ACCESSIBILITY: WORKING CONDITIONS OF LOCAL JOURNALISTS COVERING INDIGENOUS CONFLICT IN SWAT

Abstract

This research investigates the working conditions and challenges faced by local journalists in the Swat district of Pakistan amidst periods of violence, focusing on incidents such as military operations and suicide bombings by the Taliban. Through interviews with journalists in the region, the study explores how they navigate the complexities of reporting traumatic events while grappling with physical and emotional strain. Employing Pierre Bourdieu's Field Theory, the research analyzes journalists' strategies for accessing conflict zones safely and ensuring the journalistic principles of objectivity and fairness. Using concepts like Capital, Habitus, and Doxa, the study situates journalists within the volatile social landscape to highlight the interconnectedness of their professional and personal spheres. Despite possessing cultural and social capital, journalists face significant risks to their safety while fulfilling their reporting duties in dangerous environments.