Pemra-PBA agree to work for betterment of electronic media

KARACHI: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) jointly resolved to work in unison for the betterment of electronic media in Pakistan.
In a meeting held PBA office here, it was agreed that Pemra would play proactive role as regulator to provide maximum level playing field to electronic media licensees through investor-friendly and transparent policies, while PBA would augment Pemra’s endeavour to curb irregularities in electronic media, says a press release.
Various issues between Pemra and PBA, which were hitherto falling in limbo, were brought under discussion including the fresh Pemra ‘advice’ issued to TV channels dated July 30 whereby the TV channels were advised to immediately stop unethical and indecent content, programmes and songs being aired on private TV channels. The PBA members agreed to install time delay mechanism to scrutinise telecast of unedited, unwanted and objectionable content.
Following issues were precisely the main focus of meeting between Pemra and PBA;
1) Excessive foreign content beyond the permissible limit.
2) Excessive commercials exceeding prescribed limit.
3) Sporadic songs/clips being aired in every bulletin and news in the garb of entertainment news in violation of Code of Conduct for programmes.
4) Programmes and commercials containing indecent and objectionable clips
5) Programmes on re-enactment and dramatisation of crimes.
6) Coverage of terrorists, banned outfits and criminals.
7) Issuance of Direct to Home (DTH) licences and its impact on local content and advertisement market.
8) Public service messages.
Other issues e.g. telecast of national anthem before the start of every day transmission and measures for children content development were also discussed. PBA agreed to the genuine concerns of Pemra and Senate Standing Committee on Information ensured maximum efforts to redress these matters which are at the same time causing disrepute to TV channels.
Acting Pemra Chairman Kamal Uddin Tipu, Muhammad Farooq, RGM Pemra Sindh, Mir Ibrahim Rehman, Chairman PBA, Muhammad Aslam Kazi, Vice Chairman PBA, Sultan Ali Lakhani, Secretary General PBA, Shakeel Masood, Joint Secretary, Saleem Adil, Finance Secretary, Tahir A Khan, Duraid Qureshi, Dr Abdul Karim Rajpar and Muhammad Ali Butt, Executive Director (PBA) attended the meeting.