Advocacy Journalism: A Study of Greater Kashmir's Save Dal Campaign

Dal Lake is presently one of the most burning environmental issues in Indian-administered Kashmir. The lake is dying an untimely death due to increasing pollution, while its open area has reduced tremendously over the years. In order to save the lake from further deterioration, there is a dire need to generate awareness among masses regarding its conservation. Here comes into picture role of media, which can inform people about various measures regarding Dal Lake conservation. One of the finest examples of media’s role in generating environmental awareness is the regional English newspaper Greater Kashmir’s Save Dal Campaign. The study was carried out to explore the position of the Save Dal Campaign in broader picture of Advocacy Journalism. It was observed that Greater Kashmir has strongly highlighted the cause of Dal Lake, which is evident from the amount and consistency of coverage it has given to the issue. The publication has also been trying its best to generate awareness among masses about the issue, which can be gauged from the number and frequency of readers’ responses to the campaign.