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RESOURCE CENTER - MEDIA MONITOR |
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Monday November 12, 2007
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A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues. |
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Attack on Media
Intimidation |
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Baton charge against Journalists demo in Sukkur, 20 arrested
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/12-11-2007/main.htm |
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Media accused of sensationalism |
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Media should take positive advantage of Press freedom: Abidi
The Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information, Hamid Hussain Abidi, said that the government wanted the media to take advantage of the freedom granted to them in a positive and constructive manner. Talking to journalists at his office here on Sunday, Mr Abidi said that no restrictions had been imposed on the print media. However, he added, the ban on the transmission of various private TV channels had been lifted after they agreed to follow a code of conduct. Negating the impression that the government has put any restriction on the media, the adviser said that the government wanted the media to take full advantage of the unprecedented freedom of expression and instead of promoting the cause of anti-Pakistan forces, the media should work toward building the image of the country. He informed the newsmen that the Pakistan Broadcasters’ Association had not yet given their draft code of conduct. Mr Abidi said that the government did not want the media to create undue sensation to the detriment of the national interest. Citing an example of an Urdu eveninger that wanted to publish two-hourly supplementary editions, he said that on persuasion the paper agreed to refrain from this plan but still it managed to take out three supplementary editions.
(Dawn),
(Nation)
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Media Regulations
Pemra lifts ban on TV channels signing new CoC |
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Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has lifted the ban on TV channels that have signed its newly formulated Code of Conduct (CoC). However, the government has decided to continue the ban on those channels that has not signed the CoC so far. Well-placed sources in Pemra confided to The Post that the signatory channels of CoC are: TV One, Rang TV, Din News, Khyber News, Apna Channel, Koook, Sindh TV, KTN, Business Plus, CNBC, Indus News and Punjab TV. "AAJ TV, ARY, Geo News and Rohi TV have not yet signed the CoC," they added. They said the implementation of CoC would be ensured and no TV channel would be allowed to violate it. According to the new CoC, Pak Army, Judiciary and Head of the State could not be criticised. The administration of the Electronic Media Broadcaster Associations drafted the COC however the authorities concerned made some minor changes in it. Pemra has clarified the COC purpose, saying it was not to ban the electronic media but to make it observe the rules and regulations, set by the state, at every cost. |
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/MainNewsT.aspx?bdtl_id=8104&fb_id=2&catid=14 |
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Media in Courts |
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Geo challenged the ban on the transmission of Geo TV channels in the Sindh High Court
(Jang),
(The News)
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Media Protest
IFJ condemns British reporters’ expulsion |
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The world’s biggest group representing journalists has condemned the Pakistani government’s decision to expel three British newspaper reporters, saying such acts will only encourage instability. “Banning international media and gagging local journalists will not solve problems,” said Aidan White, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, in a statement issued in Brussels on Saturday night. “It smacks of intolerance, will only encourage further instability and destroys international confidence in government promises of a quick return to the rule of law and democracy,” he said. Pakistan on Saturday gave three reporters for Britain’s Telegraph group 72 hours to leave the country after saying they used “foul and abusive language” against the country and its leadership. Under the emergency rule currently in force, the media are barred from publishing or broadcasting material that “defames” President Gen Pervez Musharraf, the armed forces or the government. The order says there is a maximum punishment of three years in prison or a fine of Rs10 million for anyone who breaches the code.
(Dawn),
(Daily Times),
(Nation-3) |
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Journalists continue demonstrations
TUJ observes black day |
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Journalists of the twin cities continued their protest against media curbs for the second day on Sunday and vowed to extend their protests if the government did not withdraw the anti-press laws. The protesting journalists set up camp in front of the offices of a private TV channel on Khayaban-e-Iqbal. Opposition politicians and civil society members also expressed solidarity with them. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) General Secretary Mazhar Abbas and several senior journalists also addressed their colleagues.
(Daily Times),
(Nation-17) ,(News-12),
(Nation) |
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The Post Editorial” Journalists’ protest” |
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“The present government’s oft-repeated claim of giving more media freedom is not only a fact, but arguably one of the biggest feathers in President Musharraf’s eight-year old hat. No doubt, the president has shown wisdom by doing so, but it seems that he and the government have acted in haste and under pressure on this issue. There are better ways to resolve this issue. A free media acts as a watchdog over state and society, and when it pinpoints faults in the government’s policies or their implementation, the credit for the removal of such faults goes to the government. It is important that there is no compromise on editorial integrity for that would sound the death knell for freedom of speech and expression, a vital component of democracy. The media is aware of its responsibilities of providing objective reporting and comment and it must be allowed to do its job in a tension-free manner. The government should therefore withdraw the curbs on the media and restore the broadcasts of all channels.”
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/EditorialNews.aspx?dtlid=128205&catid=10 |
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The Post Cartoon |
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/TCartoon.aspx?catid=16 |
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Journalists’ protest enters third day |
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On the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), mediapersons’ protest against closure of independent TV channels and violence against their colleagues continued for the third day here on Sunday.
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/12/nat3.htm |
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Journalists slam deployment of Rangers, police |
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Leaders of journalist fraternity on Sunday reacted strongly to the continued siege of the Karachi Press Club for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday by the law-enforcement agencies to ward off protests against the imposition of emergency, curbs on media and suppression of lawyers’ movement. In a statement issued here, members of the club belonging to various newspapers and TV channels expressed their resentment over the heavy deployment of Rangers and police around the KPC, and said that blocking people’s access to the club was causing immense hardship not only to KPC members but also the residents of the area and workers of different organisations in the locality. KPC President Sabihuddin Ghausi, General-Secretary Imtiaz Khan Faran and other office-bearers condemned the provincial and city governments for the situation, and said that by ordering such measures, the rulers were punishing ordinary people in their effort to counter the struggle waged by journalists, lawyers and patriotic political parties.
They said the rulers must realise that registering their protest against the ‘black laws’, emergency and inhuman actions was citizens’ fundamental right.
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/12/local4.htm |
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Media case in SHC to test PCO judges, says ATVJ |
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The General Secretary of the Association of TV Journalists, Faisal Aziz Khan, has said the cases filed in the Sindh High Court against the ban on the electronic media were the first crucial test of the judiciary after the imposition of the emergency in the country.
The civil society and citizens of the country are monitoring it closely to determine how the judges who took oath under the PCO conduct themselves and dispense justice, he said in a statement. Aziz Khan said before the emergency, the courts were facing pressures from the civil society, political parties and the government. “We have to see whether these pressures still exist and from which side. This will be a first important test for the new judges,” the ATVJ secretary said. It may be added that the companies running the various GEO channels, the Independent Media Corporation and Bird Private Limited, challenged the ban on the transmission of Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG TV channels in the Sindh High Court on Saturday. The petitioners, who have landing right holder of satellite TV Channels GEO News, GEO Entertainment, GEO SUPER and AAG in Pakistan, submitted that after the imposition of emergency on November 3, at about 5.30 to 6.00 pm, all private satellite TV news channels were put off air/proscribed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority throughout the country. Filing two identical petitions, they stated cable TV operators were verbally directed and ordered not to air private satellite news and other TV channels, resulting that all CTV operators suspended/ discontinued and proscribed the transmission/ relay of all news and entertainment channels throughout the country.
(The News),
(Jang)
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The News Photo |
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Journalists at a demonstration organized by the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists in front of the office of Geo Television in Islamabad Sunday against the imposition of emergency rule in the country and restrictions on electronic and print media. — Hanif Khattak
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=80298 |
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/12-11-2007/main.htm |
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Media Miscellaneous
‘Code of conduct to make media responsible’ |
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Believes in independence of media
Tells media o fall in line
Wants an apology from Daily Telegraph
President General Pervez Musharraf said on Sunday that a code of conduct for the media had been prepared to make television channels more responsible. “I stand for the media’s independence. But what I want from the media is to be responsible. There are a few people in some televisions channels who create problems,” he said. He said he would not ask anyone to stop criticising him or the government. “Do criticise me and the government but in a civilised manner,” he said, adding that there should be no distortion of facts. “We have made the code of conduct. It will bring decency and responsibility to the media. I hope everyone understands this,” he said, adding that there would be no problems if responsibility was shown.
Without taking names, Musharraf singled out ‘a few’ private TV channels for their critical comments in the run-up to the emergency declaration that has seen rights activists, opposition leaders and lawyers go to jail. “May I say that there are only a few channels, and a few people in these channels, who by design or for their political agenda are doing this (criticism of the government). If everyone shows responsibility, we have no problems whatsoever with the independence of the media. But please also play a role in fighting terrorism.” He also urged people to ‘please stop Pakistan from decaying, please understand the seriousness of the situation’.
(The Post),
(Dawn),
(Daily Times),
(Nation) |
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(Jang)
(Jang) |
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Government wants to hold dialogue with media: Durrani |
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Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani said the government wants to hold dialogue with media to resolve issues regarding the code of conduct.Speaking to PTV, he said the government has opened many channels.The government has no intention to suppress the media, he said adding the government is not afraid of media and newspapers are publishing stories independently. The government wants to hold dialogue with media and there is no environment of confrontation, the Minister added. “We will sit together. I do not foresee any problem of communication,” he said. The Minister said it was a learning process for the electronic media after its establishment and everybody should work within its limits.
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http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20648&Itemid=1 |
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Television
MTV Generation holds the flame while PTV gloats on by Niamat Khan |
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“you browse the channels post Black Saturday you will find PTV regaling you with waves of brilliant satire and other rip roaring laugh riots. The PTV news especially is something that the Marx Brothers would have envied and something Woody Allen might still take inspiration from to revive a sadly sagging career. PTV provides all the fodder one could possibly need for a lifetime of lampooning especially those mind-boggling financial reports that suggest the country is, thanks to current policymakers, going through an economic and cultural boom. Those would be all those fashion shows Mr. Aziz likes to show his gora friends to stun them with our progressiveness and apparently the Pakistani masses have so much money to spend they just don't know what to do with it! Welcome to 1984 and the wonderful world of Doublespeak, a language that one thought had died out with the crumbling of the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall and all the eventual fall of the grisly dictators that plagued South and Central American nations for so long, but fortunately the fine art is alive and flourishing right here on PTV like never before.” |
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/instep_today.asp |
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Internet
Bomb explodes in internet café |
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A man was injured in a bomb blast in an internet café on the Ishrat Cinema Road in Gulbahar-4 on Sunday. The owner of Cyber Point, Gohar Ali of the Sheikh Abad-1 area, was injured in the blast. According to Mr Ali, the explosion took place at 4pm when he was taking his meal. He said he found himself under broken furniture and computers. Two other people were working on a computer in the café when the low-intensity 300-gram local-made bomb exploded.
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/12/top12.htm |
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Telecommunication
PTA’s measures to curb illegal telecom traffic |
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Like many other illegal and unhealthy practices which are rife in our society, illegal telecom traffic, also referred to as “grey telephony”, is being indulged in by many in order to make quick money and in the process depriving the national exchequer of its rightful revenue. Basically, this lucrative business operates through obtaining connections of a licensed fixed or cellular operator and installing quantum switches which convert international calls into local ones with the result that international calls appear as local calls on the CLI of any fixed or mobile telephone. The individuals involved in this illegal business claim to provide cheap international calls, but actually they cause loss to the government by depriving it of valuable foreign exchange. It is estimated, based on certain projections, that PTCL is losing millions of minutes per year through these covert gateways. |
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http://jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2007-weekly/busrev-12-11-2007/p5.htm |
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DISCLAIMER: The contents, including news and headlines, in this newsletter are reproduced from their respective publications ad verbatim as a public service to media observers. Internews does not author the contents and these, therefore, do not necessarily reflect organizational policy.
Updated at 11:00 PST (06:00 GMT) |
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