The Influence of YouTube-Based Journalism on Traditional News Consumption Patterns in Pakistan: Legal Challenges and Educational Implications

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16997089

Abstract

The world is more digitalized, and this has transformed the way audiences worldwide consume news. YouTube journalism has established itself as such a powerful alternative to the conventional media spaces in Pakistan and has changed the flow of information, politics, and audience dynamics. This paper presents the role of YouTube journalism in influencing the established trends of the news as consumed in Pakistan through the particular lens of legal concerns and learning implications. By addressing the question on how YouTube has democratised journalism through the granting of power to the independent voice, the paper exposes not only the nature of misinformation that the practice has provoked but also the scope of the regulatory readyness as well as literature on media literacy. The question of how to take care of the future journalists in the digital world in learning institutions is another issue covered by the paper and proposes some recommendations on the reform in media curricula and policy. Findings point into a mixed system of media in Pakistan in which both digital and traditional media interact, and it cultivates possibilities and tensions. The study concludes with recommendations of legal reforms, curriculum update and studies to facilitate credibility and sustainability in digital journalism.

Keywords: Youtube Journalism, Traditional Media, Pakistan, Legal Challenges, Education, Media Literacy, Digital Journalism