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RESOURCE CENTER - MEDIA MONITOR |
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Tuesday July 31, 2007
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A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues. |
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Attack on Media
Restriction
Journalists entry banned in PIMS |
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Public circles have criticized the ban on journalists’ entry to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). PIMS officials have displayed a written notice on each entry gate. Public circles have criticized the act to impose ban on media community and termed it an attempt to conceal deficiencies of administration. While some believe that it is an attempt to defame government and Ministry of health.
(Express-3)
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Media in Courts
PTV MD, federal law secretary responsible for Lal Masjid killings |
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A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday seeking the Federal Law secretary, the Federal Information secretary and the Pakistan Television (PTV) managing director (MD) be held responsible for the Lal Masjid killings. The petitioner stated that they had provoked the Lal Masjid inmates by producing the mosque’s chief cleric, Abdul Aziz, before the media in burqa. Petitioner Amjad Abbas of Gujranwala submitted that during the operation on the Lal Masjid after the arrest of Abdul Aziz, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi was ready to surrender and agreed to settle the issue through dialogue, but the government deliberately resorted to create bloodshed. Petitioner’s counsel MD Tahir submitted the security personnel who arrested Abdul Aziz had disgraced and humiliated him in the worst manner. He stated further that after arresting Aziz they had him (Aziz) to wear burqa and unveil his face before the media before telecasting his interview. He submitted that this act of the respondents had earned a bad name to Muslims across the world. He maintained that this attitude of the respondents provoked the Jamia Fareedia students. H said the madrassa students preferred to be ‘martyred’ than to surrender before the authorities and to face humiliation. Tahir submitted that it was a conspiracy against the Muslims around the world and a bid to give opportunity to non-Muslims to raise fingers against Islam. He said the respondents made all efforts to hurt the feelings of the Muslim of Pakistan. He blamed the respondents for the killing of hundreds of innocent female students. He termed the crime punishable under the Pakistan Penal Code. He prayed that the officials who monitored the operation, instead of settling the matter in a peaceful way preferred to kill the ‘innocent’ students along with alleged militants. He prayed that interview of burqa-clad Abdul Aziz should be declared as illegal, inhuman and a violation of fundamental rights and against interest of the nation.
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\07\31\story_31-7-2007_pg13_1 |
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Media Miscellaneous
Press freedom and responsibility |
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The television industry in Pakistan is still in its nascent stage but has to quickly get a sense of its responsibilities. The recently ‘reinstated’ chief justice has termed a fearless media as one of the guardians of public interest. The crisis-ridden, chaotic existence of Pakistanis found solace in the role played by the private media in recent months. The media and specifically television channels fought on the frontlines to uphold the supremacy of the law amid the harshest of circumstances. But it is equally true that in spite of what appears to be public service being rendered by these private channels, they seem to be in a race to be the first to broadcast news—at times raising serious questions about their credibility and more so their judgement. In this seemingly crazy rush the gatekeepers fail to realise the impact of images that often appear on television screens. Some of these are in no description suitable for any audience, let alone the younger one. Whether it is suicide explosions, the Lal Masjid operation, assassination of officials, political violence at home or international conflict, the blood and gore has been distastefully (and indiscriminately) displayed on almost all Pakistani channels. Competition has given rise to a rather tabloid-like environment where only the most sensational can have the lead. Nobody seems to hesitate as they display decapitated bodies, charred human remains, limbless victims of suicide bombings in the throes of death, even stripping the human body of dignity, of its privacy, in death. As most TV channels rely on commercial revenue, the race for news is also a race for advertising revenues. With an evident logic of “if it bleeds - it leads”, shock tactics are used as a convenient tool for grabbing more eyeballs. The ethical underpinnings of the television channels directly influence their viewer ship as TV often blurs the distinction between real life and entertainment.
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/07/31/local11.htm |
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PTV to hold sports events |
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Pakistan Television Sports Cell will organize four sports tournament, hockey, football, table tennis and cricket, to mark the Independence Day celebrations, on the directive of President PTV Sports Cell Mashkoor Ahmed Najam, says a press release. The table tennis tournament will be held at PTV Headquarters Office in which four events—Men’s Singles, Men’s Singles 45 plus, Men’s Singles 55 plus & Ladies Singles will be contested. PTV hockey team will play Jashan-e-Azadi Festival Match with Pakistan hockey team on Wednesday at Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/SportsNewsT.aspx?dtlid=110143&catid=5 |
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Ambassador seeks media help |
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Seeking support from all quarters for the release of abducted Koreans by Taliban in Afghanistan, South Korean Ambassador to Pakistan Kim Jooseok urged Taliban to be flexible in their demands for the sake of humanity. Ambassador Kim Jooseok, who visited TheNation Office Monday, said that the Republic of Korea would welcome the intervention of private individuals and the Pakistan government for the safer release of its hostages. “At the moment we are looking for those who can help us and influence Taliban to release Korean citizens since we are not in a position to meet their demands when they are seeking release of their comrades, which is in the hands of the United States and Afghanistan”, said the ambassador.
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http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/july-2007/31/nationalnews1.php |
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Govt to establish National Press Club of international standard in capital |
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Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani on Monday said the government would soon establish a national press club equipped with state-of-the-art facilities at par with the international standards. Talking to a delegation of journalists from the twin cities, the minister said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had already approved six kanals of land for the proposed press club. He said the government would take all necessary steps to ensure speedy establishment of the club, which was a long-standing demand of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad journalist community.
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\07\31\story_31-7-2007_pg11_9 |
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Television
PTV and language issue |
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Aaj Columnist Mushtaq Shohab comments, “PTV should facilitate local languages in news bulletins. It is duty of government to promote local languages. PTV News policy is against local languages, it should be changed.”
(Aaj-3)
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Advertising
Billboards posing threat to life |
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The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has issued warnings to those house owners who allow advertising companies to put up billboards at their rooftops. According to the RDA, billboards cast a blight on landscape and cause sight pollution. "Billboards are destroying the distinctive character of our communities, and the natural beauty of our vicinity rapidly", an RDA official said.
He termed the placing of hoardings at rooftops illegal as the advertising companies had not sought permission from the administration in this regard. The RDA official cautioned that a stern action would be taken against those who had not sought approval from the RDA to display billboards.
He said the authority had formed three patterns to check billboards, including their size, sustainability against velocity of wind and the vitality of their foundation. The gigantic billboards are not only a threat to flight safety, but also pose danger to human life, he added. |
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=110089&catid=17 |
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Telecommunication
Mobile phone imports on the rise |
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Substantial growth was witnessed in the import of mobile phones and other apparatus in the last fiscal year, indicating a tremendous growth in the telecom sector. The import of mobile phones grew by 12.64 percent and import other apparatus grew by 10.80 in the last financial year 2006-07. Altogether, an 11.51 percent increase was seen in mobile phone and other apparatus. According to the latest figures released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, in the last fiscal year, Pakistan imported mobile phones worth $831,661 million during as compared to $738,325 million during the same period in 2005-06, registering an increase of 12.64 percent. |
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\07\31\story_31-7-2007_pg5_13 |
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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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