The Role of Mass Media in Career Selection of Youth: A Qualitative Study

RESEARCH DIALOGUE REAL-WORLD IMPACT

Contributors

  • Iram Rafique M.Phil. Scholar, Department of Sociology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Baseerat Iqbal M.Phil. Scholar, Department of Rural Sociology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Shah Muhammad Zulqarnain Haider M.Phil. Scholar, Department of Sociology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
  • Ammara Intazar M.Phil. Scholar, Department of Sociology & Criminology, Minaj University Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Pages: 249-255
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/v-ix.401
Published: 2026-09-30
Issue: Vol. 5 No. 9 (2026): Issue 9 (September Issue)
Section: Articles
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Keywords
Mass Media Career Selection Youth Internet Faisalabad

Abstract

Mass media significantly shapes youth attitudes and career decisions. This qualitative study examined the role of mass media in career selection among youth in Union Council 185, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Using in-depth interviews with twenty randomly selected respondents aged 18-25, data were analysed thematically. The study shows television, the internet, and social media are key sources of career-related information, offering awareness of options, role models, and guidance on admissions, jobs, and online earning. However, respondents weighed real-life experience, family background, and socio-economic circumstances more heavily than media portrayals, often seen as idealized. Personal interest, qualification, and parental attitudes were key non-media determinants. The study concludes mass media serves a supplementary, not determining, role in youth career choice, and recommends structured career counselling alongside more deliberate media guidance for youth.

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Corresponding Author

Iram Rafique

M.Phil. Scholar, Department of Sociology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.

Corresponding Author: [email protected]     

How to Cite

Rafique, I., Iqbal, B., Haider, S. M. Z., & Intazar, A. (2026). The Role of Mass Media in Career Selection of Youth: A Qualitative Study. The Regional Tribune, 5(9), 249-255. https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/v-ix.401