Market Needs and Education of Mass Communication: A Perspective of Media Managers in Leading Private Television News Channels of Pakistan

Mass Communication is a field that gives extensive knowledge about other disciplines of academics and its degree holder can work in various professions due to their grip on different subjects. In Pakistan, it has been observed that many of the professionals who are working in the media industry do not have any educational background of mass communication instead they are specialized in other subjects. A mismatch between the media education and degrees of working professionals is raising serious concerns about the future of mass communication degree. Therefore this research is an attempt to examine the criteria that keeps in mind while hiring graduates in major television news channels of Pakistan. This study also aims to understand the importance of mass communication education in the career building of graduates from the perspective of media management. To investigate their perspective, in-depth interview method of Media Managing directors, Human Resource Managers, Director News, and Bureau Chiefs from the five leading private television channels of Pakistan i.e. GEO, Gourmet News Network (GNN), 92 News HD, Express TV, and Dunya TV are conducted. As this study focuses on the management perspective, therefore, the data is analyzed under the umbrella of the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) Model of Human Resource management. The study concludes that there is a gap between academia and the professional field. Media graduates are somehow lacking in the professional training which is making path for non-media graduates to enter in the media field. Apart from that, individual needs such as confidence and communication skills are also making an impact on the hiring of media graduates.