Thursday July 27, 2006

EDITORIAL:

An honours list for the media?

The government of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has prepared a list of about 30 columnists, writers and reporters in the English and Urdu print media and directed its spin-doctors to discreetly “soften” them up. The views expressed by these journalists are considered negative and Mr Aziz wants his advisers and officials of the information ministry to work on this group and turn it around. In a country where governments, almost as a rule, have been misplaced, and truth often demands being critical of governmental actions, journalists can either be honest to their craft or huddle with the government.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\27\story_27-7-2006_pg3_1

NEWS:

Tribal journalists seek security after threats

Tribal journalists from Khyber Agency have asked the local political agent to provide them security in the wake of anonymous threats. In a letter to the political agent, journalists said that an anonymous caller recently told Mehboob Shah Afridi, correspondent for an Urdu daily and general secretary of the Tribal Union of Journalists, that he would be killed and his house destroyed if he does not stop reporting on the Bara unrest.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\27\story_27-7-2006_pg7_35

‘Media should play role in creating harmony'

Media should play its due role in creating harmony and tolerance in the society, said Punjab Management and Professional Development Department Minister Sardar Hassan Akhtar Moakkal. Speaking at a seminar titled "Role of the Media in Civil Society" organized by a local college Wednesday, he said that the government strongly believed in the liberty of press and the number of licences issued for new radio and TV channels was proof of this fact.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=51225&catid=3

Bhinder assures implementation of Wage Board Award

State Minister for Law and Justice Shahid Akram Bhindar has assured help in implementation of the Seventh Wage Board Award, as he said the government was committed to resolve problems being faced by the journalists community.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=51194&catid=17

Cable networks to call off strike today 

Cable operators from across the country will call off their strike on Thursday (today) after Federal Information Secretary Shahid Rafi has assured that issue of monthly tax of Rs 25 per subscriber would be resolved.

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/27/index7.php

Press enjoys full freedom: Sherpao

Press is enjoying unprecedented freedom in the country besides access to all sorts of information as government believes in complete freedom of press and has given full freedom to both the print and electronic media, and holds all journalists in high esteem. 

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/27/nationalnews4.php

New TV food channel in the offing

After the resounding success of its first channel, HUM TV, the Eye Television Network has announced the launch of its next channel, which promises to be one of its kind and the first in the world. A food channel based entirely on Pakistani and Indian cuisine, it will target Urdu and Hindi speaking audiences around the globe, a release said on July 25.

http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/userMedia
FilesDetails.asp?uid=7422

FM Listening: Reconstruction and FM

Bruised and injured, he cringed and sniveled in pain. He tried to sway from side to side, but the agony would not abate. He moaned, tried to lick his wounds like a wounded dog, but the pain would not subside.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=51172&catid=17

ARTICLE:

“Raam Karna Sahafyun Ko” (To Soften the Journalists) By Atta-ur-Rehman, Nawa-e-Waqat, Page-6  

LETTERS TO EDITOR:

Influence of media

I thought of my early school days, when I used to sing the school song, 'We as a nation, We are the world.' On the contrary, now is the time to observe the facts of today's world, in order to preserve our religious and national identity.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/LetNews.aspx?dtlid=51161&catid=4

MORE NEWS:

“ ADVERTAISMENT: PEMRA invites application to lay down cable net work in Islamabad ”, Khabrain, Page-3

“Media is free in Pakistan ; Sherpao”, Khabrain, Back Page

“Media has unprecedented freedom in country: Sherpao”, The News, Page-3

“GEO to broadcast ‘Capital Talk' from Lebanon ” Daily Jang, Front Page

“Cable operators' equipment seized”, The News, Page-15

“Private Secretary of provincial minister for information killed”, The News, Page-11  

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: www.ifex.org

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.brecorder.com

Asia Media: www.asiamedia.ucla.edu

PEMRA: www.pemra.gov.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)