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A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues. |
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Media Protest
Geo closure: journalists up in arms |
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Journalists throughout the country continued their protest Sunday against shutting down of Geo TV and ARY Digital as well as curbs on the media. Hundreds of journalists, members of civil society, students, political workers and human rights activists gathered in Islamabad and chanted slogans against the ban on the TV channels. Addressing the protest rally the speakers condemned the government for asking the managements of the two channels to sack prominent and respected journalists. Pakistani networks Geo TV and ARY Digital were ordered by the authorities to halt transmission from the United Arab Emirates after they refused to sign a Pakistani government-mandated "code of conduct."
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=11228 |
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Protests against media restrictions continue |
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Journalists, civil society protesters warn emergency rule also discouraging investment
The journalists of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad continued their protest on Sunday against media curbs and the imposition of emergency rule in the country. The journalists staged a peaceful protest demonstration in front of the offices of a private TV channel shut down by the government at midnight on Friday.
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\19\story_19-11-2007_pg7_1 |
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Journalists plan protests
Journalists plan big protest tomorrow |
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The journalist community on Sunday announced its plan to take out a procession on Tuesday as part of its ongoing campaign against restrictions on print and electronic media and denial of the implementation of the seventh wage board award. On the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the Karachi Union of Journalists has also planned holding of protest demonstrations and rallies. The route of the Tuesday rally would be decided in the morning, said KUJ President Shamim-ur-Rahman, adding that at a final program for a series of protest meetings, rallies and demonstrations would be announced on Monday.
The News,
Dawn |
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Daily Times Editorial “Media’s rights and responsibilities” |
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“The Pakistan government has now gone the whole hog in gagging two television channels — ARY and GEO—which are not amenable to its writ. This has been accomplished by leaning on the UAE authorities to pull the plug on the two channels. Understandably, therefore, the media is up in arms as never before. Why is the government so ham-handed? Why is President Musharraf determined to undo his greatest achievement of nourishing a free media?”
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\19\story_19-11-2007_pg3_1 |
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Letter to editor “Biased media?” |
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Abdul Aziz Mohammed, “The current emergency imposed by the military dictator is bringing a bad name to Pakistan. But I have noticed that the national media too is partly to blame for our damaged reputation. It sensationalises events without taking the national interest into consideration and does little investigative reporting, which is what it should focus on. One can clearly make out right-, centre- and left-inclined news reports. While what a student organisation did to Imran Khan was deplorable, the national media had a field day by turning its guns toward the said organisation, openly naming it. However, the same courage was not witnessed while naming those culpable for the May 12 carnage in Karachi. Footage was repeatedly shown on TV, but not a single paper named any culprits. I see this as hypocrisy. The media is supposed to be the fourth pillar of a state. If we want to see Pakistan return to the path of democracy, all must fulfil their responsibilities, including the media.” |
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\19\story_19-11-2007_pg3_7 |
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Journalists stand firm against restrictions |
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Civil society backs media movement | Journalists campaign for repeal of Pemra laws
Hundreds of journalists belonging to the print and electronic media staged a demonstration in front of a banned private television's office to express solidarity with the TV channel as their protest against restrictions on the media entered its 10th day Sunday.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/ShortNewsT.aspx?shortid=4871&catid=2 |
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Post Photo |
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Islamabad: Journalists protests against ban on private news channels. |
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Dawn Photo |
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Islamabad - Nov 18: Television journalists keep up protesting the continuing blackout of two private channels here on Sunday.—Dawn
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Media role stressed for curbing human trafficking |
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Speakers at a seminar regretted that despite constitutional protection human trafficking was menacing the society. The seminar was organised by the Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme (Camp) in collaboration with the European Union for capacity building of selected journalists of the NWFP and tribal agencies.
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/19/local31.htm |
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Journalists protest
Journalists’ demo against closure of TV channels |
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A large number of journalists held a rally and observed a token hunger strike here on Sunday in protest against curbs the media. The journalists led by Mazhar Khan Khaskheli, Younus Rajpar, Qasim Isran, Ali Nawaz Solangi, Zahid Rajpar, Ghulam Mustafa Tager started the rally from the press club.
The Post,
Dawn |
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Demonstration against curbs on media |
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The Uthman-Gadoon Union of Journalists of Topi Tehsil held a demonstration on Sunday in protest against curbs on media and the closing down of two private news channels. Journalists gathered at the Tarbela Rickshaw stop and marched to the Topi general bus stand. They raised slogans against the government. Criticising the assault on the electronic media, they demanded that the government should lift the curbs on the media and give up the policy of victimizing journalists. Uthman-Gadoon Union Journalists president Salim Alizai said if the curbs remained intact it would harm the government. He said the foreign electronic media and the print media were free to report the facts which finally reached to the Pakistani nation. “In the present global village nothing can be kept secret,” he said. “Those who believe on such policy were greatly mistaken.” |
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/19/nat19.htm |
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Rally opposes closure of TV channels |
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The journalists, led by Press Club Phoolnagar President Ch Zafar Iqbal, Sunday took out rally against the closure of two private tv channels.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/NatNewsT.aspx?dtlid=129384&catid=2 |
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Transporters support for Geo |
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The Anjuman-e-Ittehad Bus Malikan and the Karachi Transport Action Committee condemned the government for banning Geo TV network and demanded for the removal of the restrictions so that thousands of its employees are not left jobless.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=81552 |
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Shutting down of Geo TV condemned |
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Leaders of the religio-political parties on Saturday seriously condemned the forceful shutting down of the transmission and working of the Geo Television Network around the world and called for immediate resumption of its broadcast. They said that an independent media voice in the country had been systematically stifled as the current military-led regime, while clamping the virtual martial-law in Pakistan, had no commitment with the cause of peoples’ constitutional rights including the freedom of expression and press.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=81554 |
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RIUJ slams Bhutta’s disappearance |
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The Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) has strongly condemned the disappearance of senior journalist Shoaib Bhutta and demanded his immediate release. A-hurriedly called meeting of the RIJU was held here Sunday with Afzal Butt in the chair. RIJU General Secretary, Ishfaq Sajjid, SVP Shehryar Khan, Senior Joint Secretary Waqar Satti, Joint Secretary Abdul Khaliq Khattak and Bilal Dar, Abid Abbasi, Azhar Jatoi, Amir Sajjad, Asim Yasin and other senior journalists attended the meeting.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=129402&catid=17 |
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Gagging of media slammed
Ban on TV channels flayed across NWFP |
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On the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, a demonstration to protest curbs on electronic media was held outside the District Press Club (DPC) on Jhang Road here on Sunday. Members of the press club, district union of journalists, lawyers and activists of opposition parties and civil society participated in the demonstration. The demonstrators resorted to slogan-mongering, condemning the gagging of media particularly the shutting of private TV channels.
(News-3) |
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/11/19/nat25.htm |
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PBC observes Media Solidarity Day today |
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The Pakistan Bar Council will observe Solidarity Day with the media today (Monday). The PBC has called upon all the lawyers to hold functions in honour of the media personnel and journalists at bar association buildings and join them in their protest meetings and rallies. "The PBC has urged lawyers to stand by the journalists in their struggle for withdrawal of curbs on the media," a PBC spokesperson said.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=129403&catid=17 |
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Solidarity day with media |
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Lawyers across the country are observing solidarity day with media today (Monday). Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig has urged the lawyers community to hold functions at their respective bar associations to express solidarity with journalists in their struggle against unjustified curbs on media. He urged the lawyers to also join media personnel in their protest rallies and meetings for free media and freedom of information.
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\19\story_19-11-2007_pg11_3 |
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Slams ban on electronic media |
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Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) has condemned the restrictions on print and electronic media and demanded to lift the ban. The JSM Executive Body meeting, presided over by its Chairman Abdul Khaliq Junejo, expressed concern over the arrest of lawyers, journalists, trade union and political activists. The meeting also demanded restoration of democracy and human rights in the country. The participants discussed the political situation and urged the need to improve performance of the organisation. In this regard, it was decided that JSM General Secretary, Hashim Khoso, will visit different districts of the Sindh province to strengthen the teamwork.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/news.asp?cat_id=4&page=3 |
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NGOs, civil society call for restoration of Geo channel |
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Representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society reacted strongly to the shutdown of Pakistan’s premier news channel, Geo Television and called for restoration of its transmission.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=81624 |
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The News |
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Closure of Geo: the nightmare returns by Mobarik A Virk
Following the closure of Geo, the bitter memories of early 1980s came flooding back.
Those were the times the media in Pakistan was experiencing the worst form of suppression under the then military regime of late General Mohammad Ziaul Haq.
I still remember those bitter nights when we were required to take each and every page of the newspaper to the offices of the Press Information Department (PID) for censor, which in those days was located in Sitara Market, Sector G-7, Islamabad. The Information Officer (IO), who used to scan the pages, occupied a small room. He would gruffly take the page from us, always grumbling as to what took us so long to get the pages ready and why could we not finish our work a little early (before midnight). He would never invite us to come inside the room where he had a gas heater on. The winters in those years used to be really frosty in Islamabad. And we were always required to wait outside in the open while he would go through each and every headline and news item pasted on the page. After sometime, he would ask one of us to come in and explain certain headlines as well as news items put on the page. |
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=81609 |
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/19-11-2007/main.htm |
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Protest against Geo TV shutdown today |
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Civil society members, journalists, lawyers, students, doctors, teachers, government employees and people from every walk of life will hold a big protest at 2 pm today (Monday) against the closure of Geo TV and another private TV channel by the top general. The protest will be held in front of Geo TV office at Fazal-e-Haq Road, Blue area, Islamabad.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=81625 |
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Ban on TV channels flayed across NWFP |
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Journalists and political parties in various cities and towns of NWFP as well as adjoining tribal areas have strongly condemned the ban on two private television channels. Police fired teargas shells and baton charged workers of the Pakistan People’s Party when they staged a demonstration on main University Road to protest against the imposition of emergency and ban on transmission of private television channels.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=81592 |
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/19-11-2007/main.htm |
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/19-11-2007/main.htm |
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No fair polls if media stays gagged, says Negroponte |
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Wants immediate lifting of ban on Geo and other channel; delivers blunt pro-democracy message
US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on Sunday lent support to worldwide protests against the ban on Geo and ARY television channels by stressing that free and fair elections could not be held with a gagged media.
“We do not think that these kinds of measures (banning TV channels) are conducive to fair and free elections. We urge Musharraf that these actions be stopped and such steps be taken that ensure the forthcoming elections to be fair and free,” he told a media briefing at the US Embassy before flying off to Washington. He urged President Pervez Musharraf to lift the emergency, release political prisoners and restore media freedom as such steps were not compatible with holding of free and fair elections. |
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=11223 |
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Deposed CJ says shutting down Geo is violation of Constitution |
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Report by Ansar Abbasi. The deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the closing down of Geo News and ARY TV channels is a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution which, he insists, is still in place but is being violated. Talking to The News here late on Saturday night, Justice Iftikhar said that the Constitution not only protected the freedom of the press but also guarded the right of the people to know. He lamented that both the Dubai-based Pakistani international television channels had been shut down, thus depriving the people both within Pakistan and outside to know all that was happening in the country and outside. |
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=11227 |
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/19-11-2007/main.htm |
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Geo Advertisement |
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These are new missing persons. We know where they are, they want to appear before the court of people, they are being held incommunicado by Pemra, Help us bring them back.
(News-11) (News-1)
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RSF ‘shocked’ at murder of slain journalist’s wife |
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Reporters sans Frontières (RSF), a Paris-based media watchdog, is shocked at the murder of the widow of Hayatullah Khan, a journalist slain last year. She was killed in the early hours of Saturday by a bomb planted next to her bedroom outside her home in Mir Ali, North Waziristan.
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\19\story_19-11-2007_pg7_25 |
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Jang Cartoon |
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/19-11-2007/cartoon.htm |
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The News Photo |
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Online Photo |
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Lahore: A female journalist wears an arm band during a demonstration organized by Punjab Union of Journalists in collaboration with Lahore Press Club against the restrictions on Media and imposition of emergency rule.
Lahore: Journalists hold a demonstration organized by Punjab Union of Journalists in collaboration with Lahore Press Club against the restrictions on Media and imposition of emergency rule..
Islamabad: Activists of Civil Society hold a demonstration against imposition of emergency rule and restrictions on Media.
Multan: Journalists shout slogans during a demonstration against curbs on media.
Islamabad: Staff workers of ARY One World channel shout slogans during a demonstration against the imposition of emergency rule in the country and restrictions on Print and Electronic Media, organized by Rawalpindi/Islamabad Union of Journalists.
Islamabad: A female Pakistani journalist of Rawalpind/Islamabad Union of Journalists along with her child, takes part in a demonstration against the imposition of emergency rule in the country and restrictions on Print and Electronic Media. |
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Media Workshop
2-day workshop for media men |
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Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme (CAMP) organised a two-day training workshop on Counter Human Trafficking (CHT) for media men. The workshop was attended by nearly 45 journalists from both print and electronic media, said a press release issued Sunday. The training by CAMP is part of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), supported by European Union (EU) in Pakistan. The workshop aims at strengthening the civil society groups like community forums, media, lawyers, NGOs/CSOs for their due role in realising human rights and national development.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/NatNewsT.aspx?dtlid=129515&catid=2 |
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Media Miscellaneous
Musharraf defends media code |
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President Gen Pervez Musharraf Sunday said that proposed code of conduct was in line with the best international practices and media has accepted it. He was addressing in Karachi.
(News-12)
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http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/nov2007-daily/19-11-2007/main.htm |
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TV channels’ closure in line with UAE foreign policy |
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United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Media Council Director Ibrahim-al-Abed said that the closure of two news television channels was compatible with the foreign policy of the UAE. Dubai Media City ED Rustamani said Media City could not allow the media it hosts to rule broadcast material that flouts UAE policies. She said that it was necessary to explain to the two channels, the UAE policy and media guidelines applying to media operating out of the free zone. Asked if the shutdown might scare off other foreign news channels whose presence in Dubai has turned the Emirate into a regional media hub, she said, “There are press laws in all countries.”
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\19\story_19-11-2007_pg7_37 |
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Durrani, Azeem bid farewell | ‘Emergency won’t derail democracy’ |
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Politicians, bureaucrats, journalists and officials of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry attended Saturday night a get-together at PTV Academy to pay tribute to outgoing ministers, Muhammad Ali Durrani and Tariq Azeem Khan, for their untiring efforts to better media-government relations.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=129404&catid=17 |
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Press room handed over to court reporters |
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The Rawalpindi District Bar Association (RDBA) has allotted a separate press room to court reporters of district.
(Daily Times-B2)
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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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