Tuesday September 26, 2006

A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues

MEDIA & GOVERNMENT

Govt planning to curb TV coverage of parliament

The government is reportedly planning to introduce new regulations to curb television coverage of parliament proceedings. A senior government official told Daily Times that government officials were “annoyed” at the extensive coverage given to opposition leaders from the parliament cafeteria, where they were in the habit of addressing press conferences and giving interviews. He said that the officials concerned had discussed the issue with National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, who had the authority to implement a code of conduct for television journalists. He said that discussions continued among government officials over the contents of the code of conduct.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\26\ story_26-9-2006_pg7_5

NWFP cinemas shut

The NWFP government has decided to close all the cinema houses during the holy month of Ramazan by pursuing the policy of motivation instead of strictness. According to an official release Senior NWFP Minister Sirajul Haq convened a meeting of the owners of the cinema houses Monday and informed them about the government's decision about the cinema houses.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/MainNews.aspx?bdtl_id=3549&
fb_id=2&catid=14

Owners refuse to close cinemas in NWFP

Cinema owners in the NWFP have refused to comply with the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government's order to close cinemas during Ramazan, saying that the cinema business would not affect prayers. The cinema owners refused to comply with government orders during a meeting chaired by NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq on Monday.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\26\
story_26-9-2006_pg1_4

Cinemas in Peshawar ordered closed during Ramazan

The NWFP government on Monday decided to close all cinema houses in the provincial metropolis to uphold the sanctity of the holy month of Ramazan. Although cinema-owners expressed unhappiness over the decision, they said they would comply with the government's order. The government claimed in an official handout that owners of cinema houses had agreed to the proposal to keep their business closed.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/26/nat12.htm

MEDIA PROTEST

Journalists stage token walkout from Sindh PA

Journalists covering the Sindh Assembly Monday staged a token walk out from the press gallery against the disappearance of a journalist, Munir Ahmed Marri, for more than two month and the government failure in recovering him.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/NatNews.aspx?dtlid=60819&catid=2

SAFMA concerned over beating of journalists

The South Asian Free Media Association (Safma) on Friday expressed serious concern over the kidnapping of Saeed Sarbazi, senior subeditor of Business Recorder , in Karachi, and police brutality against TV journalists in Lahore, says a press release. Three TV journalists had to be hospitalised after they were brutalised by the police while trying to cover a religious rally of Sunni Tehrik on September 16.

http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=53826

Journalist brutally tortured, then released;

6-year-old brother of slain journalist also murdered

Saeed Sarbazi, senior sub-editor of "Business Recorder" daily newspaper and the joint secretary of the Karachi Press Club (KPC), returned home in the early hours of 23 September 2006, after being abducted three days earlier, allegedly by intelligence agents. According to Sarbazi, he was dropped from a truck, blind-folded, in a suburb of Karachi. Talking to journalists at the KPC, Sarbazi said was on his way to the Club on 20 September when he was intercepted by several unidentified individuals who dragged him from his car into another vehicle and covered his face with his own shirt.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/77312/

“General meeting of Mandra Press Club: Government urged to take notice of violations of press freedom”, Nawa-e-Waqat, Page-5

“Para Chanar Press Club President condemn the murder of Hayat Ullah's brother”, Daily Aaj Peshawar, page-2

TELEVISION SECTOR

Inaugural ceremony of PTV Multan station held

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Tariq Azeem Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi laid the foundation stone of the building of Pakistan Television Multan here on Friday. The ceremony for groundbreaking of Rs.307 million PTV Multan project was held at the 30-kanal site in front of Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) at Old Shujabad road here.

http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/userMediaFiles
Details.asp?uid=7694

“ Setting up of PTV centre Multan welcomed”, Daily Express, Page-3

RADIO SECTOR

FM LISTENING: FM in Ramazan

Since I have been listening to FM channels, I have observed that throughout the year their transmissions remain the same. Only at a few occasions like Eid, New Year, Valentine's Day or Independence Day there is some variation, but slight. However, the duration of such special transmissions is not more than two or three days.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=60889&catid=17

FM LISTENING: FM 104.6 an exclusive channel for students

LAHORE : University of the Punjab established its first in-house FM radio channel "Punjab University FM 104.6" operated by the students of the Mass Communication department in June 2004. FM104.6 is as an exclusive channel for students in Lahore. The channel operates from 2pm to 6pm and transmits music, talk shows, university news and Islamic programmes in addition to two news bulletins.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=60915&catid=3

MEDIA RELEASE

'In the Line of Fire' launched

President General Pervez Musharraf held media interviews and was chief guest at the launch of his autobiography by an influential American think-tank, 'Council for Foreign Relations' on Monday. The much talked about book 'In the Line of Fire', published by Simon and Schuster, is priced at $28 and would be available throughout the world simultaneously.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=480364&curr
PageNo=1& query=&search=&term=&supDate

Book goes on sale in Pakistan

President General Pervez Musharraf's book In the Line of Fire that was marketed on Monday made a ‘remarkable' business in the capital on the first day. “We have sold over 300 books within few hours and I think it is a record sale of any of the books launched in recent past,” Mr Yousaf, a bookseller in the Super Market, said. The book was to be launched on early Tuesday morning Pakistan time in United States and it has been distributed worldwide. The local markets got its copies in the evening.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/26/nat3.htm

Urdu version of Musharraf's book soon

The Urdu version of President General Pervez Musharraf's book ‘In the Line of Fire' has been given the title ‘Sab se pahle Pakistan' (Pakistan is the first). The president will write more books afterwards, keeping in view the outcome of his first effort. Sources told The News here Monday that Urdu version will be available before the end of the year, and the translation is expected to be completed by next month. The translation has been made by close family associates of the president.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=3272

JOURNALISTS CONCERNS

New Journalist body formed

OKARA: Senior journalists from the Media Centre have formed a new organization called “The Journalists” and unanimously announced its office bearers. Daily Times, Page-B-3

COMPILED by: Sajid Gondal, Media Monitor, Internews Pakistan (www.internews.org.pk)

DISCLAIMER: The contents, including news and headlines, in this newsletter are reproduced from their respective publications ad verbatim as a public service. Internews does not author the contents and these, therefore, do not necessarily reflect organizational policy.