Thursday August 24, 2006

Proactive approach urged to counter foreign media propaganda

Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani on Wednesday underlined the need for adopting a proactive approach to counter negative foreign media propaganda. Addressing the first three-day international conference of press officers posted abroad, organized by the External Publicity Wing, the minister said in today's world, media diplomacy has become vital for the State.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_news.asp?id=6

Durrani for effective media campaign

Information and Broadcasting Minister Muhammed Ali Durrani on Wednesday said that there was need to adopt a proactive approach to counter negative foreign media propaganda.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\24\story_24-8-2006_pg11_5

Ashraf vows to bring PTV glory back

PTV Managing Director Ashraf Azeem termed the challenge of bringing back the lost glory of the PTV as a herculean task but expressed his confidence in his team for achieving the goal. He said this while speaking as chief guest at a special reception organised in his honour by Pakistan Film & TV Journalists Association at Lahore Press Club on Wednesday.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_news.asp?id=5

CPNE, APNS plan meetings in Quetta

The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors and the All Pakistan Newspapers Society will hold separate meetings on the Balochistan issue in Quetta on Aug 28 and Aug 29 respectively.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/24/nat18.htm

British Council to launch media guide 'British Muslims'

The British Council Pakistan is launching a media guide titled 'British Muslims' by Ehsan Masood at Islamabad Club today. A joint enterprise of the British Council and a number of Muslim organisations, the book gives an account of British Muslims who believe they are targets of antagonism. The media guide is aimed to be used as a reference source and training tool for young journalists.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_news.asp?id=6

Moot on Right to Know concludes:

Media urged to campaign for free information access

The national conference on “Right to Know” concluded on Wednesday with the notion that there should be an intensive and persuasive media campaign to ensure free access to information. The conference which was organised by the Mass Communication Department of the Federal Urdu University for Arts, Science and Technology, also resolved that “access to Information Ordinance” should be made comprehensive and all exceptions be eliminated from it.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/24/local16.htm

Mustafa criticises private TV channel

Karachi City Nazim Mustafa Kamal, criticising a private TV channel, said on Tuesday (Aug 22) that it was quite unjustified to focus I I Chundrigar Road and Bath Island only as inundated areas, ignoring the rest of the city from where water had been removed.

http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/usermediafilesdetails.asp
?uid=7541

Letters to Editor:

Asking the answers

Sir: The consistent claims of the current government regarding the ‘remarkable' status of media freedom, especially the press — have begun to assume ridiculous proportions as the actual situation seems to be a complete reversal. A recent example alludes to the National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain restricting private channels from entering the Parliament House on Thursday (August 17) to cover the proceedings.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\24\story_24-8-2006_pg3_7

REGIONAL MEDIA:

INDIA : Judiciary seeks cover from RTI

New Delhi --- While the government has been trying to reduce access to file notings, the Supreme Court has recommended amendments to the Right to Information Act that might prove just as controversial. In its first annual return in May on implementation of the RTI Act, the apex court has recommended three far-reaching amendments: http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=51576

RSF raises concern about recent increase in press freedom violations

journalists, radio and television stations come under attack
Reporters Without Borders, an organisation that defends press freedom worldwide, is worried about a recent wave of press freedom violations in Afghanistan , which are unfortunately not isolated acts but rather the work of influential persons of various political views.

http://www.ifex.org/fr/content/view/full/76403/

SOURCES:

The News: http://jang.com.pk/thenews/

The Nation: http://www.nation.com.pk/

Daily Times: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/

The Dawn: http://www.dawn.com

Spider: www.spider.tm

BBC South Asia : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/

Herald: http://dawn.com/herald/

Aurora : www.aurora@dawn.com

The Economist: www.economist.com

IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/158/

Jang: http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/

Nawa-i-waqt: http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk

Khabrain: http://www.khabrain.com

Daily Development News: http://asp.isb.sdnpk.org/

The Post: http://www.thepost.com.pk/

Business Recorder: http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org

Asia Media: www.asiamedia.ucla.edu

PEMRA: www.pemra.gov.pk

States Man: http://www.statesman.com.pk

Frontier Post: www. frontierpost .com.pk

Compiled by , Sajid Gondal Media Monitor, Internews Pakistan .

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)