PEMRA asked to report on media code in a week | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

PEMRA asked to report on media code in a week

Pakistan Press Foundation

* Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting directs authority to issue notices to all those channels that violate rules

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Tuesday directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the ministry concerned to consult all stakeholders, complete all formalities and submit a detailed report on the code of conduct for media within a week.

The committee directed PEMRA to consult all stakeholders, including Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBA), and complete its work even if someone does not want to give any input. The committee was informed that PBA was the main hurdle in the establishment of a code of conduct. Senator Farhatullah Baber asked PEMRA to implement its code of conduct, and asked why PBA was holding PEMRA and the committee hostage. He directed PEMRA to assert its authority.

Meanwhile, the committee’s chairman, Senator Kamil Ali Agha sought details of the foreign content which is aired on all the private channels and time given to advertisements in the next 15 days. He said this process of monitoring of every 15 days will continue for up to six months, and a report for this be submitted to the committee periodically.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Pervaiz Rashid told the committee that the locally operated channels were allowed to air 10 percent foreign content, while foreign channels with landing rights were allowed to present 90 percent foreign content. He said such discrimination disrupts smooth functioning of the industry and creates unrest among the stakeholders.

PEMRA Chairman Ch Rasheed told the committee that this allocation of 10% and 90% was totally wrong and the previous policy of totally banning the foreign content was right. But the committee was of the view that some channels were informative and banning all foreign content was not the right thing to do. It said that the 10% foreign content allocation for the locally operated channels did not mean that they only air foreign dramas with Urdu dubbing. Senator Agha asked PEMRA to implement its existing laws and take action accordingly.

But the PEMRA chairman told the committee that the private TV channels get stay orders from the courts in every matter, thus hampering any action.

The committee also took up the issue of few programmes being aired by the private TV channels. The committee reiterated that PEMRA should implement its existing code of conduct, including the terms and conditions on the bases of which licences were granted to these channels. It said that current affairs programmes should be balanced and totally unbiased.

The committee directed PEMRA to start issuing notices to all those channels that violate the rules, and asked it to present a report on this in 15 days.

Daily Times


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