Why Are News YouTubers in Pakistan Effective Despite Low Views?

Islamabad: YouTube recently released a list of the most-watched channels in Pakistan for 2024. Interestingly, none of the top 20 YouTube channels focus on news or political content. On the other hand, the Pakistani government has been taking increasing measures to regulate social media, especially targeting those who speak out against the government or share content deemed as propaganda.
Since February, X (formerly Twitter) has been blocked in Pakistan, and the government frequently detains YouTubers and social media activists who voice opposition, taking legal action against them. Despite this, the ongoing “cat-and-mouse” game between the government and news-related YouTubers and social media activists continues.
However, YouTube’s recent report highlights a compelling contrast: the reach of news YouTubers, who are often accused of spreading propaganda by the government, is minimal. In comparison, entertainment-focused channels, including those of various TV dramas, dominate YouTube with millions of daily viewers.
According to YouTube’s own statistics, the most-watched YouTubers in Pakistan have a maximum reach of around 1 million viewers, which pales in comparison to entertainment content, where drama episodes garner views in the range of 20 to 30 million. Asad Baig, head of Media Matters for Democracy, points out that 80% of YouTube content in Pakistan is entertainment-based.
Baig explains, “We have long been saying that the news content on YouTube in Pakistan is minimal compared to the total viewership on the platform. However, the reason why news YouTubers are in the spotlight is that the content they present often carries more influence. While entertainment provides individual gratification, news content tends to have a broader societal impact and, despite having fewer viewers, it holds more power due to its political and collective nature.”
Moreover, Baig notes that news YouTubers in Pakistan have already carved out their niche on the platform, and it’s unlikely they will expand significantly. On the other hand, entertainment content continues to dominate, with an estimated 80% of viewership in this category compared to just 15-20% for news content.
Ajmal Jami, a journalist who recently launched his own YouTube channel, shares, “When news YouTubers began, there was a clear void. Traditional journalists were still working within established media institutions, and they failed to recognize the changing landscape. As a result, this space was occupied by individuals with no formal experience in journalism but who gained popularity as news personalities on YouTube.”
Jami adds that the trend of entertainment content outshining news content is not just unique to Pakistan, but is a global phenomenon, with similar patterns seen in countries like the US, Europe, and even India.
Shahzad Ahmad, head of Bytes for All, an organization advocating for digital rights, explains that social media platforms’ algorithms favor content that is “social” or “entertaining,” not news. “The algorithms tend to promote entertainment content while sidelining news,” he says, emphasizing that the global political landscape and specific regional issues also play a role in this trend. He points to the example of Myanmar, where political content led to regulatory changes for social media platforms, influencing how news content is handled.
In summary, despite low viewership, news YouTubers in Pakistan remain influential due to the political and societal impact of their content, but entertainment content continues to dominate the digital space in terms of sheer viewership.