Public Affinity for Political Discourse in Pakistan

Abstract

Television political comedy shows have gained popularity in Pakistan. This study examines and pinpoints the factors that influence the people to watch such shows. For the purpose, survey method has been employed. The data has been collected from respondents (N=300) belonging to various demographic backgrounds. It has been inferred from the study that an affinity for political humor (AFPH) drives people to watch political comedy shows. In this regard, age has come across as the only significant factor, which has a meaningful positive relationship with AFPH. Moreover, the study also discovers that monthly income is a significant positive predictor of political comedy show viewership. Besides, various types of media and genres of TV program have also been found as strong predictors of the political comedy shows. The study concludes that political comedy shows should not be taken as a mere entertainment product, rather they can prove to be an important source for political communication and creation of political awareness. In a country like Pakistan where literacy rates are on the lower side, informal and humorous political communication may raise political awareness amongst people. Lastly, it has been recommended that future researchers may study the direct behavioral and political effects of political comedy shows aired on Pakistani television channels.