Twitter (X) and Political Participation: An Assessment of Pakistani Journalists’ Perception

Abstract

In the era of digital communication, social media platforms have emerged as significant forums for political socialization, enabling individuals to engage in discussion and express their viewpoints on political issues. This study aims to investigate the perception of Pakistani journalists regarding political participation. The main objective of the study is to find out whether political participation on Twitter (X) makes journalists participate in real-life political events or discussions and to inquire about the perspective of journalists on whether their political decisions changed due to Twitter (X) usage. The study employed a quantitative research design. The researcher utilized a survey method to collect the data. The sample of the study consisted of 200 working journalists, selected by using purposive sampling technique i.e., all selected journalists were users of Twitter (X) and members of the National Press Club Islamabad, Pakistan. The findings of the study revealed that a significant majority of journalists in Pakistan utilize Twitter (X) for political discussion, highlighting the platform’s importance in shaping political perspectives. The results indicated that more use of Twitter (X) catalyzes journalists’ political participation. The majority of journalists were of the view that their online political participation encouraged them to engage in offline political participation. Furthermore, the study emphasized the important role of Twitter (X) in empowering journalists to articulate their opinions on political issues and potentially impact the decision-making process. Moreover, findings revealed that Twitter (X) is a significant platform for open dialogue and debate regarding political issues. The research contributes to the understanding of the role of social media in political participation, particularly in the context of Pakistan’s media landscape. The findings have implications for policymakers, journalists, and researchers interested in the intersection of communication, politics, and social media. Further research can build on these findings by exploring the impact of Twitter (X) on journalists’ political behavior and decision-making processes in more depth.