No compromise on freedom of electronic media: PEMRA chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Chairman AbsarAlam said in a press conference that freedom of electronic media is our responsibility, and we will never allow it to be compromised.
To a question about the decline of a leading private television channel on placement,he replied, “Pemra law is very clear on the issue. We are looking into the matter, as far as we’re concerned, the channel is in a fixed bouquet.”
Different newspapers, including The News, Express Tribune, Jang, Intekhab, Roznama Express, Roznama Pakistan, QaumiAkhbar, and Amn, published this news on August 2, whereas different channels, including AbbTakk, AAJ News, ARY News, Dawn News, Express News, Geo News, JAAG News, News One, 92 News, Capital News and Dunya News, aired tickers and detailed newsof the press conference with complete facts on August 1.
PEMRA council meeting held
PEMRA sent letters to more than 23 television channels for airing fake news of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s marriage, and other news. The council held a meeting to discuss the fake news aired by media channels.
PTI has claimed that different TV channels aired fake news of Imran Khan’s marriage, while 14 channels have submitted the written apology so far. ARY and Dawn News were also accused ofairing wrong news about Prime Minister’s health.
Maryam Nawaz claimed that Channel 24 run inappropriate news with wrong pictures, while Geo, SAMAA, Roz and other TV channels were also accused by many politicians for airing fake news. Geo has to pay Rs200,000penalty in this regard.
NEO news aired a ticker on August 4 and Capital News on August 5 aired detailed news whereas Jang newspaper on August 7 published a news story covering the issue.
PEMRA to treat all private television channels equally Business Recorder on August 3 reported that Imran Zafar Laghari chaired a meeting of the Sub-Committee of National Assembly Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage and directed PEMRA to treat all private television channels equally to ensure media freedom.
While briefing the committee, PEMRA Chairman Absar Alam presented the list of those TV channels which aired D rAsim Hussain’s leaked video.
Geo News restored to original position
Geo News was restored to its original position in almost all areas of Karachi on July 31.
The News and Jang on August 1 published news reports that PEMRA officials said the channel had been placed back to its original position of July 27 on authority’s order.
Jang newspaper on August 1 published two articles, one article was written by Dr. Amir Liaquat Hussainwith the title “Tum Jug Jug Geo… Magar Hamei Tou Jeene Do!!”, while another article was written by Syed Anwar Qadwai on the topic “Azadi-e-Izhaar Kay Raaste Band Na Karei”. Both the writers discussed the issue of moving Geo channel to the last numbers.
The writers in their articles favored one point of view and totally supported Geo News channel.
Protest held against vulgarity shown on a private channel
Pakistan Yekjehti Council Sindh organized a protest demonstration under the supervision of President Qari Sajjad Tanoli outside PEMRA office Karachi against the vulgarity shown ona private television channel.
While addressing the protesters,Tanoli said Pakistan was made in the name of Islam; therefore, vulgarity and obscenity will not be accepted.
This news story was covered by Dunya newspaper on August 6. The writer of the story has not mentioned the name of news channel as the paper has just mentioned a private television channel.
Hence, the writer has omitted important fact relevant to the story that is not mentioning the name of the channel against which the protest was held.
CII criticizes TV shows
Pakistan Today and Dunya on August 5 reported that Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Sheerani said that the council had taken a serious note of a TV show in which abandoned children and newborns were presented to the participants like gifts or ordinary items.
He further said, “Television channels have been violating PEMRA rules for several days, but it did not take any action on its own”.In these news reports, both the newspapers have not mentioned the names of television shows, hence the writers omitted facts.
Media role sought to further strengthen democratic values
Addressing the members of Executive Committee of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that media should play its vital role in further strengthening and nurturing democratic values and norms.
Rashid assured the members of APNS committee that the ministry will continue its efforts for the betterment of media industry and work with it for free and responsible media.
In another news story, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan assured Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) and APNS on August 5 of resolving the issues faced by newspapers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
JAAG TV on August 5 aired a ticker, where as different newspapers, including The News, Pakistan Today and The Nation, on August 6 published the news reports.
Military and Media
Lt Col Retd Ghulam Jilani Khan in his column “Military or Media”: Assasi Tasawuraat or Zarooriyaat” published in Roznama Pakistan on August 3 discussed the importance of media and military in the country’s growth and relationship between them.
The writer said, “Media and military both are important for any society, but due to a difference in their professional responsibilities, both military and media stand opposite to each other.”
PPF organizestraining workshop for journalists
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in collaboration with the International Media Support (IMS) and the Danish Embassy Islamabad organized a three-day training workshop on the topic of journalism skills at Larkana Press Club.
The workshop was attended by electronic and print media journalists. DIG Larkana Abdullah Sheikh and President Larkana Press Club S. IqbalBabuwere also present at the closing ceremony.
DIG Larkana praised PPF for training journalists. He said, “Better trained reporters can help build a better society”. S.Iqbal Babu said, “PPF is playing a vital role in training of journalists by conducting such workshops.”
Other media related news
PEMRA called for a session of cable operators on ARY News’ application; PEMRA Complain Council Sindh recommends penalty of Rs1 million againstGeo Entertainment;Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) conducted a raid in Islamabad and arrested five members of a fake media team, which was planning to go to the United States for covering the upcoming US elections; Karachi-based Journalists Welfare Association has formed a committee to resolve media workers’ problems and to plan strategies and actions to help low-paid media workers; journalists staged a walkout from National Assembly’s press gallery over violence against senior journalist of Khushabdistrict in the province of Punjab, Talib Hussain Bhatti; Asad Kharel criticized media during court session, claiming that media is responsible for his jail custody.
Journalist Welfare Association and Gradsy Institute of Business and Technology signed an agreement according to which Gradsy Institute will provide free education to the children of journalists who have died; Germany-based organization, Democracy Reporting International (DRI), launched “Reporting on Human Rights:
Pakistan Media Guide” for reporters at Karachi Press Club on July 31; Undergraduate students of the Federal Medical and Dental College (FMDC) on August 4 asked for the media’s support in reaching out the poor patients with medical treatment under the umbrella of Patients’ Welfare Organization launched at the National Press Club (NPC).
Indian media blamed Pakistani media for not covering Rajnath Singh’s address during SAARC Conference; Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad RafiqueRajwana has praised renowned journalist, editor and analyst Altaf Hassan Qureshi’s contribution to the field of journalism, literature and grooming of at least two generations of journalists in the country.
Different journalists, editors, analysts, writers and lawyers attended the ceremony and paid tribute to Qureshi.
The media also covered stories on the demise of Gambat Press Club’s senior member Roshan Uddin Shaikh in district Khairpur, Sind, senior journalist Abdul Aziz Gahu, and professor of Mass Communication Department, University of Karachi,Abdul Ghafoor Javed.
During the week, PPF monitored 24 news, tickers, headlines and programs related to Pakistani media that were covered in the following television channels: 92 News, Aaj News, AbbTakk, ARY News, Capital TV, Dawn News, Dunya News, Express News, Geo News, Jaag News, Khyber News, KTN, Neo News, NewsOne, SAMAA, and TV One.
There were 37 news stories, editorials, articles, and photographs published in 16 daily English and Urdu language newspapers that include Dawn, The News, The Nation, Express Tribune, Business Recorder, Pakistan Today, Regional Times, Jang, Dunya, Roznama Express, Nawa-e-Waqt, Pakistan, Intikhab, QuamiAkhbar, Amn, and Roznama Pakistan.
