Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) monitored different newspapers and television channels from July 4 to July 10 from which following media related stories were highlighted PEMRA approached Supreme Court for ban on Geo TV’s show, harassment case against director news of PTV, unethical reporting by television channels, tax relief to electronic media, responsible role of print media, Nawabshah press club elections, religious discrimination in APP, media organizations pays tribute to greatest humanitarian Edhi. Articles on topics, Kashmir elections and PTV, religion and role of media were also monitored.
Throughout the week PPF found 53 news, tickers, headlines and programmes on electronic media covering the following channels 92 News, Aaj News, Abb Takk, 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 34 news stories, editorials, articles and pictures in 18 daily newspapers in English, Urdu and Sindhi languages that include Dawn, The News, The Nation, Express Tribune, Business Recorder, Pakistan Today, Regional Times, Jang, Dunya, Roznama Express, Nawa-e-Waqt, Pakistan, Intikhab, Quami Akhbar, Aman, Roznama Pakistan, Kawish, Ibrat and Awami Awaaz.
PEMRA approached Supreme Court
Pakistan Today on July 4 published a news story while Geo TV on July 4 aired detailed news report that, PEMRA has moved towards the Supreme Court against an order of Sindh High Court (SHC) suspending its ban on Geo TV’s show ‘Inam Ghar’.
Earlier on June 28 SHC voided PEMRA’s decision on banning Geo Entertainment’s programme ‘Inaam Ghar’ hosted by Amir Liaquat Hussain.
Another news reported by Dawn, The Nation, Business Recorder, Nawa-i-waqt, Dunya and Aman on July 5 reported that, a two-member bench comprising Justice Dost Muhammad and Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the PEMRA appeal against the SHC order on suspension of a programme aired on the private TV channel. The Court directed PEMRA to conclude the matter about ban on Geo TV’s programme ‘Inaam Ghar’ within a month.
The bench noted that the participants in the programmes mock judiciary and other institutions and PEMRA remains silent. During the proceedings it came to the notice of bench that a number of private television channels, including Geo TV have yet not installed the censoring device known as time delaying mechanism to remove and wipe out offending part of live shows and programmes to bring it in accordance with PEMRA rules.
The PEMRA assured the Supreme Court that a team of experts will soon examine private television channels to ensure that time delaying mechanism is put in place to block telecasting undesirable and offending content.
Harassment Case in PTV
The federal Ombudsperson directed the managing director of Pakistan Television (PTV) to remove its director news, Athar Farooq Bhutar against harassment of women in office.
Dawn on July 6 reported that, the Ombudsperson on July 1 directed the PTV managing director that “some other person be posted in place of Mr Bhutar so that he may not have excessive powers over others or take any unnecessary benefit of his position. This arrangement should be made immediately under intimation to this office on next date of hearing”
The newscasters of the state-run channel in a complaint indicted Mr Bhutar of sexual harassment, humiliation and applying insulting behavior against them and other newscasters.
Media Ethics
Pakistan Today and Qaumi Akhbar on July 10 reported that, on July 9 at 3:45am Express News aired a report showing a report lying inside the grave prepared for Abdul Sattar Edhi. Journalists from other media organizations and general public took to Facebook and Twitter and derisively criticized the reporter, cameraman and director news for stooping so low in order to gain ratings ratings while reporting on the funeral arrangements of country’s greatest humanitarian and philanthropist.
Around 2300 complaints had been filed against the beeper. The owner of Express News, Sultan Lakhani and channel’s Executive Director News Fahad Hussain apologized on Twitter for their disgraceful report.
Roznama Express reported while Samaa, Express News, 92 News, ABB TAKK, Dawn News, Dunya News, JAAG channel aired breaking news, ticker, headlines and News One in its program ‘Tonight with Jasmine’ discussed on July 5, Mufti Muneeb lost his temper in a brief interaction with reporters, he angrily said that TV channels were misleading the masses by reporting unjustified information. He claimed that the committee had not received any testimony from anywhere and that no Auqaf Department official could step into the committee’s domain.
TV footage showed Mufti Muneeb lunging at the microphone of a private news channel after a reporter said that an Auqaf Department official had informed reporters that the central committee had received at least 18 testimonies from Lahore, Lower Dir, Gujranwala, Multan, Shawal, Sanghar and Dera Bugti.
In another news story reported by Qaumi Akhbar on July 5 reported that, During an Ijtema ‘global or world congregation of people especially Muslims’ on the occasion of Laylat al-Qadr, leader of Jamat Ahl Sunnat Allama Shah Abdul Haq Qadri said “In the rate of commercialization television channels have made the religion and Holy month of Ramadan their business. Mostly people who don’t have any knowledge about our religion were allowed to sit in programmes and instead of guiding the viewers they misguided them.
Dunya on July 6 reported statement of Mufti Muneeb, he said in the name of Ramadan transmissions different channels have disrespected the sanctity of Ramadan for which they should apologize.
PEMRA Chairman Absar Alam
Geo News in its programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ aired on July 8 and Jang on July 9 reported, Chairman PEMRA Absar Alam said that “Chairmanship of PEMRA is a very difficult job, for me most difficult work is to ban any channel or programme.”
He further added that, it is the duty of media houses to train their journalists and teach them basic journalism ethics.
He expressed his views during Geo TV’s programme “Naya Pakistan Talat Hussain Kay Saath” hosted by Talat Hussain. Former MNA Kashmala Tariq, actor Jamal Shah, Khabarnaak anchorperson Meer Muhammad Ali and radio presenter of FM 89 Owais Malik were also present as guest in the programme.
Tax Relief to Electronic Media
The federal government had decided to give tax relief to electronic media.
The News on July 4 reported that, the federal government on the recommendations of PEMRA had decided to give relief to the electronic media under Finance Act 2016 in tax collection on import of equipment for digitalization of cable networks in the country. This would be enforced from July 1, 2016.
Responsible role of media
Intikhaab on July 4 and Dunya Karachi on July 5 reported that, president of Sukkur Small Traders and chairman of Sukkur Development Alliance Javed Memon during Iftar dinner organized for journalists, said, in every difficult situation journalists and reporters from print and electronic media have always fulfilled their responsibilities. Through their writings they have always highlighted the issues of citizens in front of higher authorities.
Nawabshah Press Club Elections
Candidates of Progressive Panel succeeded with a majority in the annual elections of Nawabshah Press Club.
Jang on July 4 reported that, Zulfiqar Khaskheli of Progressive Panel appointed as President, Zohaib Zardari as Vice President, Nabi Baksh Baloch as General Secretary, Abdul Latif Khaskheli as Joint Secretary and Musharraf Bhatti appointed as Treasurer. While other six candidates of Progressive Panel also succeeded in working committee.
Elections held under the supervision of Fida Chandio, Ali Muhammad Shah Lakyari, Manzoor Soomro and Rizwan Thebo.
While in another story reported by Ibrat on July 4, different politicians and social workers congratulated the newly elected president, vice president, general secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and other successful candidates of Nawabshah Press Club annual elections.
Religious Discrimination in Govt-Run APP
Regional Times on July 4 published a delayed news story which reported that, Sahib Khan Oad a senior reporter at government news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), was not allowed to use same utensils with other Muslim colleagues.
Oad said as the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan started, the discriminatory attitude of his colleagues increased. He was being treated as untouchable and was forced to bring separate glass and plate.
Media Organizations pays tributes
Express Tribune on July 9 and The Nation, Business Recorder, Roznama Express, Aman on July 10 reported that, different organizations including Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Sanghar press club and National press club Khipro has expressed deep sense of sorrow over the demise of renowned philanthropist and social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi.They paid tribute to the legendary humanitarian, who spent his entire life in serving the people of the country.
Kashmir Elections & PTV
Aman on July 9 published an article “Azad Kashmir mei inthikaab or PTV ka kirdar” which highlighted the role of state-owned channel PTV in Azad Kashmir elections. Everyday PTV telecast news on PMLN procession for elections, where on the other hand, there is not any single news related to PPP’s political procession. PTV should be made nation’s channel not only government’s channel.
Religion & role of media
Aman on July 10 published an article written by Abdul Latif Khalid Cheema with the title “Sahafati dehshatgardi ki bad-tareen misaal” in which the writer said, importance and need of media is increasing day by day, but several media houses and television channels are not taking care of religious harmony and country’s ideology and are telecasting such programmes that not only hurt the sentiments of viewers but also spread anarchy in the society. Such programme “Ramadan Hamara Emaan” was telecasted on Aaj TV on June 11 in which anchorperson Hamza Ali Abbasi discussed very sensitive issue related to Ahmaddiya Community.
The writer in his article requested PEMRA and other organizations to stop television channels from promoting secular extremism so it could destroy the beliefs of new generation.