Pemra fines channels for airing offensive material

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has fined News One Channel for fanning ethnic divide and provincial hatred and also fined TV One and Abb Takk channels for airing offensive material.

The Pemra Council of Complaints in its 29th meeting held in Karachi with Prof Inam Bari in the chair upheld its previous recommendations about imposition of Rs300,000 fine on News One Channel for violating Code of Conduct, non-implementation of effective editorial control and airing an unedited video clip of MQM leader Waseem Akhtar in which he uttered highly derogatory and insulting remarks against the Punjab and its people in a programme telecast on November 18, 2015.

The channel has also been asked to air apology in the same manner and magnitude failing which proceedings for suspension of channel would be initiated, said a press release issued here on Friday.

The council also endorsed Rs100,000  fine on TV One channel for airing an indecent and objectionable scene in TV One drama Meri Ashiqui Tum Say Hay dated December 3, 2015.  The council recommended Rs100,000 fine on Abb Takk channel’s programme Benaqaab hosted by Saifan Khan dated December 16, 2015 wherein indecent and objectionable remarks of Faisal Raza Abidi were aired without effective time delay mechanism.

The channel has also been directed to air apology in the same manner and magnitude failing which its license may be processed for suspension. The council recommended Rs100,000 fine on FM Radio of Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (FM 97.6 MHz) Karachi for being non-operational in contravention of clause 3.1 of Terms and Conditions of the License and directed the chief executive officer to appear in person in the next council meeting to clarify road map for making the FM Radio operational.

Non-payment of fine and non-compliance of other directives within 15 days would trigger action against above-mentioned licensees. Hearing cases of Excessive Foreign Content of 8XM and Jalwa channels, the council recommended referring the matter to the authority for an appropriate action as per law.

The Complaint of Bank Islami and State Bank of Pakistan against Abb Tak TV in its programme Beneqaab aired on October 22, 2015, November 2, 2015 and December 16, 2015 were deferred for being sub judice.

Accepting the request of CEO Express Entertainment and Time TMN channels to defer the case till the next meeting as CEO was out of country, the council directed its CEO to appear in person in the next meeting.

The recommendations of the council shall be furnished with the chairman Pemra for approval in the light of powers delegated to him by the authority. —APP Our correspondent adds: Meanwhile, Pemra has taken notice of a complaint filed by Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, through his legal counsel, against the ARY News channel's programme  and referred the matter to its Council of Complaints for further action.