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RESOURCE CENTER - MEDIA MONITOR |
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Friday July 20, 2007
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A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues. |
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Attack on Media
Restriction
Senior journalists refused entry into North Waziristan |
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Authorities stopped two senior journalists at the Khajuri checkpoint the other day and didn’t allow them to enter North Waziristan to perform their professional duties. Dr Shahid Masood, the host of a widely watched Geo TV programme “Meray Mutabiq”, and Rahimullah Yusufzai, the executive editor of The News in Peshawar, were on their way to Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan, to report on the situation in the troubled tribal region. A Geo TV cameraman also accompanied them. The political administration argued that the situation was dangerous on the road to Miranshah, as it was infested with criminals, including kidnappers and car-snatchers. Its officials said in recent weeks a number of people, including women, had been kidnapped for ransom on the stretch of the road from Mir Ali to Miranshah. The two journalists were told that the government had banned the entry of all non-locals to North Waziristan, as they risked being kidnapped. When reminded of the government’s claim that there was no ban on members of the press wishing to visit the tribal areas and report from there, the government officials at Khajuri checkpoint and Mir Ali said they had been directed by senior officials not to allow the two journalists to enter North Waziristan.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=65098 |
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Critique on Media
Electronic media criticized for lacking neutrality |
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An alliance of civil society organizations on Thursday hit out at the post Lal Masijid operation coverage by a section of electronic media claiming that it lacked objectivity and neutrality. The Insani Haqooq ittehad in its meeting expressed concern over the one sided reporting of electronic media. “instead of providing people with information and facts so that they could form their own opinion, some of channels actively expressed biased views that they were more sympathetic to extremists killed in military operation against Lal Masjid,” it added. The Insani Haqooq Ittehad is an alliance of Strengthening Participatory organization, Sustainable Development policy Institute, Sungi, Pattan and Pothar organization for development Advocacy.
(Dawn-19)
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Media Miscellaneous
‘Photojournalists most exposed to risks’ |
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Photojournalists are suffering a lot as they are taking life risk while discharging their professional duties with commitment and dedication. This was observed by Raza Haider, a senior press photographer, while addressing the 'Photojournalists Training Workshop', organised by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) Thursday. He said photos published in newspapers reflected political and socio-economic conditions of a country. He noted a newspaper could not be considered as a complete daily until pictures were published in it. However, he made it clear there were some responsibilities to be kept in mind on the part of journalists so that they should highlight genuine issues through images. Their snaps should be free from class differences, personal biases and based on reality, he added. Raza Haider said photojournalists could play an important role during covering the upcoming elections. PPF provincial coordinator Arslan Yasin and district coordinator Abdul Latif Zargar were also present on the occasion. Later, press photographers visited different centres, where matters pertaining to technical aspects of photojournalism were discussed. The photographers from across the district participated in workshop. |
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/NatNewsT.aspx?dtlid=108178&catid=2 |
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Press under siege | Media’s role amid deepening crisis by Sadaf Arshad |
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“A sense of insecurity has gripped the whole country and it is being felt more strongly in Waziristan where people have started fleeing their home towns. Media is also facing problems where the state-run Radio Pakistan station in Miranshah has stopped broadcasting from July 16 due to insecure conditions for staff members. Gul Raza Gohar, an announcer at the station, said he and his colleagues were unable to reach their offices and do their work on account of the sense of insecurity. The news of scrapping of the peace agreement has left people with no choice except either to stay at home or shift to relatively safer places outside North Waziristan.”
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/OpinionNews.aspx?dtlid=108210&catid=11 |
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Movies
LHC moved against Khuda Kay Liye |
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Lawyer says film hurts Muslims’ religious feelings
Says joint venture banned in India
A senior lawyer MD Tahir on Wednesday challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) the playing of the movie “Khuda Kay Liye” saying it was against Islamic values and was an attempt at disturbing law and order in Pakistan. Tahir filed a petition that said that those who were troubled were taking peace from society away. He said suicide bombings were killing innocent people everywhere and were creating panic and terror throughout the country, and in such situation, the movie, which was scheduled to release on July 20, would only add fuel to the fire. He said the movie was a joint venture of the United States (US), India and Pakistan and was funded by the Pakistan government. He said Naseer-ud-Din Shah, an Indian actor, was playing the character of a Muslim scholar, who permitted music in Islam, saying that Hazrat Dawood was a good singer. He said that Shah in the movie also declared a Muslim woman’s marriage with a Christian man as allowed in Islam. He said Muslim scholars were condescendingly referred to as Mullahs. He said that according to the movie, Taliban were against Muslims and were murdering them, and the concept was potentially a source of agitation for Muslims. |
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C07%5C19%5Cstory_19-7-2007_pg13_1 |
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Telecommunication
IT Ministry initiates review of Cellular mobile phone policy |
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Sources have claimed that Ministry of information Technology has initiated the review of Cellular mobile phone policy. In this regard consultation has begun with all leading cellular companies.
(Jang-8)
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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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