England’s Test cricket has changed dramatically since Brendon McCullum took over in June 2022. The team adopted a new identity, Bazball, with aggressive intent, and rebuilt its batting order. This article explores the journey of the Bazball ideology from 2022 to 2026 within the English media. The longitudinal study uses Entman’s model to trace the evolution of narratives in the Daily Mail, The Times and The Independent in the United Kingdom. The study’s findings reveal a complete narrative life cycle. Initially, Bazball was characterized by hype as a revolutionary fix for problems in English cricket. In contrast, the later period of Bazball saw it referenced in the ultimate defeat of English cricket. The narrative was then reframed with Bazball as the problem itself: a vacuous cult of amateurism. The study put forward the narrative life cycle model (NLM), which highlights key mechanisms of frame resilience, including discursive elasticity and the decisive role of ‘sacred defeats’ in activating dormant, rival cultural scripts. The study concludes that sports media narratives are not passive reports but active, strategic contestations of meaning, in which pre-existing national stories compete for dominance, arbitrated but not wholly determined by on-field results.
Exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) can contribute to the development of moral injury (MI). While MI has been extensively studied in military and healthcare contexts, there is limited understanding of its occurrence among media workers. This study aimed to explore the experiences of PMIEs among UK-based media workers. Eight media professionals, including journalists, producers, camera operators and editors, participated in semi-structured interviews between January 2024 and May 2025. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Four core themes emerged: (1) media worker experiences of PMIEs, (2) the psychological impact of exposure, (3) coping strategies utilized and (4) perceived support needs. PMIEs commonly involved exposure to extreme human suffering and organizational betrayal (e.g. lack of protective equipment and discrimination). Participants described intense shame, anger and guilt, contributing to burnout, substance misuse and suicidal ideation. Coping strategies included talking therapy, meaning-making practices and fostering social connection. Participants emphasized the need for genuine organizational care and trauma-informed leadership. Media workers experience PMIEs that can have lasting psychological impact. Addressing organizational contributors to MI, fostering supportive working cultures and providing specialized psychological care when needed may mitigate distress and enhance workforce well-being.
This issue examines why traditional mainstream legacy journalism remains indispensable in an increasingly fragmented digital information environment. Despite longstanding criticism of mainstream news organizations, their decline has not been matched by alternative infrastructures capable of systematically gathering, verifying and contextualizing news. Digital-native commentators, citizen journalists and social media platforms have diversified public debate but frequently rely on reporting produced by professional news organizations. Drawing on studies from Africa, Serbia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Latin America, the editorial argues that journalism is more than the circulation of information: it is a professional and socially situated process that transforms information into credible public knowledge. The contributions demonstrate the continuing importance of verification, contextualization, investigative capacity, inclusive reporting and data interpretation. Ultimately, information abundance makes professional journalism more, rather than less, necessary. Protecting journalism therefore requires sustaining the institutions, professional norms and material conditions through which journalists produce verified, intelligible and socially consequential knowledge while scrutinizing power and supporting informed public debate.
The India–Pakistan relationship has traditionally been portrayed in the media in a jingoistic tone, closely aligned with a war-oriented perspective. This study examined the factors that influence Pakistani journalists and shape their coverage of the contentious relations with their arch-rival, India. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen journalists, editors and resident editors from three leading Pakistani newspapers: Jang , The News International , and Dawn . Pakistani journalists tend to see themselves as detached observers and watchdogs. Routine factors are very important, whereas individual factors seem to have little influence on Pakistani journalists. They also denied feeling pressure from the state and the military establishment, but reported practising self-censorship to avoid conflicts with government policies. Limited resources, lack of direct access to information, editorial policies and the presence of both external censorship and self-censorship were identified as significant factors shaping news content. These influences collectively shape the content produced by these journalists, often resulting in a war-oriented approach.
Misinformation, disinformation and fake news have become pervasive challenges in media landscapes, particularly in regions with political instability. This study investigates the effect of misinformation on Afghanistan’s media sector, focusing on the unique challenges faced by Afghanistan journalists under new regime in Afghanistan. Using a mixed-methods approach, including structured interviews with 30 journalists and content analysis of 56 articles published on a fact-checking website (Afghan Fact), the research examines the spread of fake news and the sociopolitical factors driving it. Key findings reveal that limited press freedom, internet access restrictions and threats of violence significantly hinder journalists’ ability to report accurately. The rise of social media as a major misinformation tool, combined with inadequate journalistic resources and training, further exacerbates the issue. Additionally, government control and censorship have fostered an environment where propaganda thrives, eroding public trust. The study makes it clear that we need better media literacy, more international cooperation and more focused training programmes right away.
