Pakistan's polarised media

Amid Pakistan's latest political power struggle, the country's news channels are fighting a proxy war of their own.

At the beginning of the week, when we scan the news media around the globe to decide what media story to go with, wires started dropping about protesters occupying Pakistan's state broadcaster PTV. The story is part of a new political power struggle in which the country's top news channels are fighting a proxy war of their own. For three weeks now, street demonstrators led by cricket-player-turned politician, Imran Khan, have been demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose election last year the protestors insist was rigged. Sharif says he is not going anywhere. The way the unrest is being reported in Pakistan's media lays bare the political divisions in the country and exacerbates them. Backing the government are Geo TV, the most watched network in Pakistan and the state-owned broadcaster, PTV. Both had their offices targeted by protestors, and, in PTV's case, occupied. ARY, the number two news channel, backs the protest movement, and has been going at it - on the airwaves - with Geo TV.