Regulating media
THE recent Facebook ban fiasco demonstrated the level of state intervention in obscuring citizen’s access to information.
Pakistan Telecommunications Authority has supposedly submitted a draft in LHC which calls for draconian laws and more curbs on the alternate media of Blog-sphere
Such laws are bound to fail as happened in the case of PEMRA which has failed to play its role as a regulatory body.
The primary reason is that both PTA and PEMRA are governed by bureaucrats who have little interest and no expertise.
Such regulatory bodies must comprise renowned media personnel and members of civil society who can together formulate an elaborate code of conduct.
The notion of self-regulation is best suited as the media can be guided but not dictated.
Moreover, the most vital stake-holders are citizens whose voice is ignored when such laws are drafted. It is vital to incorporate their feed back as they are the primary beneficiaries.
SADIA HUSSAIN
Islamabad
Source: Dawn
Date:7/4/2010
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