Mediaboss Marketing

March 28, 2015

Thegovernment is said to be planning to use the ruse of NationalAction Plan (NAP) to clamp down on the electronic media. Accordingto reports, discussions are under way to amend the PakistanElectronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Act, 2007, empoweringthe Authority to control the coverage of terrorist attacks as well as any coverage that appears to glorify terrorism or terrorists. The broadcast streams of television channels airing 'objectionable' or 'unwanted' content are to be blocked by delinking them from the Paksat satellite. If such an amendment comes to pass it would constitute a nasty and unacceptable attack by an elected government on the freedom of expression. It is not for any entity (Pemra, supposed to be an independent body, remains under government control) to try and tell journalists what to report or not to report. As regard the issue of covering terrorism, after some initial hiccups the media has evolved its own code of ethics, deciding to avoid showing blood and gore as well as airing programmes that could fall within the description of glorification of terrorists. If any lacunae remains that should be removed through an informal debate and discussion with the electronic media's representative body rather than imposing censorship.

The Pemra Act, dating back to General Pervez Musharraf's era, already contains some controversial provisions, such as that the authority could prohibit broadcast media or a distribution service from airing any programme "if it is of the opinion that such particular programme or advertisement is against the ideology of Pakistan." First and foremost, it militates against the very concept of freedom of expression. A substantial body of option in this country holds that there is no such thing as the ideology of Pakistan, and that the term, introduced by the military ruler General Yahya khan's information minister General Sher Ali Khan, entered the national discourse at least two-and-a-half decades after the creation of Pakistan. Second, the term has no standard definition on which anyone sitting in a Pemra office can base his/her opinion to punish a TV channel for violation. This particular provision needs to be struck down.

The law also authorises Pemra to ban any broadcast if in the Authority's opinion it is "likely to create hatred among the people or is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or is likely to disturb public peace and tranquillity or endangers national security." These are basic rules of responsible behaviour, and form part of the statute book. All must observe them. There is no need, however, to pick on the TV channels in this particular regard. For, the media's rights are not any different from other sections of society; it is entitled to the same freedoms as other members of society - no less, no more. Hence instead of taking any errant TV channel off air, violators can be taken to court to be held to account under the normal laws of the land. It makes no sense to enact media-specific laws; in the present situation, even a constitutional amendment. The government would be well-advised to disabuse itself of the idea of resorting to arbitrary action against TV channels by bringing up NAP.

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Attempt to muzzle the media | Business Recorder