Disbursement of ads, audit procedure for newspapers further streamlined
ISLAMABAD- The Ministry of Information and Media Development have taken a number of steps to further streamline the disbursement of government advertisements and the audit procedure for determining the circulation figures of newspapers and periodicals.
In this connection, under the instructions of the Federal Minister for Information and Media Development, Nisar A. Memon, the management of newspapers, periodicals will be required to submit a copy of bank statement and Cash receipts for the previous six months to get the circulation figures of its publication determined by the Audit Bureau of Circulation.
The Federal Minister has constituted a special Committee headed by the Principal Information Officer, Press Information Department (PID) to review the disbursement of advertisements to newspapers, periodicals on monthly basis. The Committee includes, Director General (Internal Publicity), Director (ABC), Ministry of Information, and Director (Advt.), PID.
The minister has constituted another high-powered committee headed by the Secretary, Information and Media Development to review on a quarterly basis the release of quantum of advertisements to all publications.
The Committee includes the Principal Information Officer, Director General Internal Publicity, Ministry of Information, Director (Advt.), PID, Director (ABC), Ministry of Information and Director Public Relations, Regional Offices of PID, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar etc.
The Federal Minister for Information and Media Development has directed the Press Information Department to ensure strict observance of 25 percent regional quota of advertisements to the newspapers and periodicals.
Newspaper, and periodicals having circulation of less than 1000 copies will not be eligible to receive the government advertisements with immediate effect.
The minister has further directed that special audit will be conducted of the advertising agencies involved in release of government advertisements through PID. In this connection, the Auditor General of Pakistan will be requested to conduct the special audit for a period of six months for the period January-June, 2002.
As per laid down procedure, PID will organise competition for selection of advertising agencies for handling the advertising assignments of various ministries, divisions, departments and corporations in consultation with the organisation concerned.
For this purpose, a Selection Committee has been constituted which will be headed by the Principal Information Officer. Its other members are Director Programmes Pakistan Television (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) as well as Director (Press), Ministry of Information and Director (Advt.) PID besides a representative of the concerned Organisation.
A list of dummy newspapers will be prepared urgently to debar them from receiving Government advertisements.
All publications which have not completed the requirements of audit of circulation records beyond six months of the expiry date of ABC certificate have been directed to get their circulation audited by ABC within four weeks failing which the newspapers, publications will stand removed from the Central Media List.
All ABC certifications will now, be subject to a random review by a Committee headed by Federal Secretary and consisting of PIO, DG (I.P) and Director (ABC) as members. The Committee will hire the services of a firm of Chartered Accountants on retainer basis to assist it in random checking of the circulation figures of newspapers, periodicals, if reported to be an inflated claim.
ABC has been authorised to levy a handling charge of Rs. 100 only per one thousand copies certified for the issuance of ABC Certificate to newspapers, periodicals. The receipts will cover the cost of hiring the services of the firm of Chartered Accountants for the purpose.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:10/28/2002
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