Second phase of TV, radio channel licences soon: Pemra
ISLAMABAD- Chairman, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Mian Muhammad Javed, said on January 28, 2003 the authority would only issue licences to Pakistani firms to set up private television and radio channels.
The chairman said the authority is all set to issue licences to the private television channels in the second phase, especially for the MMDS and LMDS, radio transmission stations and cable networks.
The first phase of licensing for radio and television has already been completed. To a question about the issuance of licence to overseas Pakistanis, he said they would be allowed after having a firm registered in Pakistan because under Pemra rules only Pakistani firms would be eligible for setting up private television and radio networks.
The authority has already prepared rules and regulations for the private sector and criteria for media institutions and fee structure to issue a licence to companies. Javed said the private sector television and radio channels would telecast and broadcast news and views independently while keeping themselves within the code of ethics to be included in writing before getting licence.
Regarding freedom to channels, he said, “Pemra officials are confident that sufficient independence will be available to the media channels while keeping within certain religious and cultural norms as well as national interests.”
“Pemra is also seized with the issue of distribution of frequencies to each licensee in accordance with its category and the area of coverage,” he said. Javed said every channel would be left to judge for itself what is in the interest of the country while dealing with the issues relating to Pakistan.
To a question about the composition of the board of directors of the authority, he said the board consists of 10 members — five from the private sector, three from the government and two representatives from the technical side.
When asked whether the authority will be appointing a full-time monitoring body to oversee censorship-related issues for the private sector media channels, he said, “Though private channels will be working in line with the established censor policy, Pemra will prepare a code of ethics for them.”
The chairman assured representatives of cable association from Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad to provide all possible facilities aimed at promoting modern technologies in the field of cable network.
Source: The News
Date:1/30/2003
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