Pemra advises TV channels to stop airing indecent content

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) in a fresh ‘advice’ issued to television channels has asked them to immediately stop rampant unethical and indecent content, programmes and songs being aired presently.
The advice has been issued in pursuance to the directives of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Broadcasting & National Heritage to Pemra on Jul03, 2015. The Authority has also raised serious concerns on excessive religious consumerism and commercial programmes aired in the holy month of Ramazan. According to Pemra, such programmes were not only lamented by the legislators but also by a large number of public, who have generally viewed these kind of programmes as against the norms and sanctity of the holy month.
Pemra has, therefore, directed all TV channels not to telecast; 1) Excessive foreign content beyond the permissible limit of 10% in violation of Regulation 18(1)(a) of Pemra (Television Broadcast Station Operations) regulations-2012,
2) Excessive commercials exceeding limit of 12 minutes per hour in violation of Rule 15 (3) of PEMRA Rules 2009, 3)Programs promoting religious consumerism particularly hurting sanctity of the Holy month of Ramazan in sheer disregard to Section 20 of PEMRA Act 2007 and the Code of Conduct, 4)Sporadic songs / clips being aired in every bulletin and news in the garb of entertainment news in violation of Code of Conduct for programs and, 5)Programs and commercials containing indecent and objectionable clips etc. and 6) Programmes on re-enactment and dramatization of crimes.
Moreover, the authority has also advised private TV channels to telecast national anthem before the start of every day transmission as is also being practiced in neighboring countries to promote patriotism.
Pemra has also asked TV channels to develop healthy programs for the children as there is no serious focus on children programming and only couple of foreign channels are presently catering to this need.