PEMRA Takes Notice of Irresponsible Reporting / Talk Shows by TV Channels

Press Release: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) today issued notices to Geo News, Dawn News, News One and Dunya News for being irresponsible and provoking anti-national sentiments among viewers by sensitizing events un-necessarily.

Some of the talk shows / programs of these channels were observed in violation of Section 20 of PEMRA Ordinance 2002 read with Rule 15 of PEMRA Rules 2009 and clause (1) (d) (g) (h) of Code of Conduct set out in the Schedule-B of PEMRA Rules 2009.

Since after the PNS Mehran tragedy, it was being observed that some news channels were not realizing their journalistic responsibility and ethics towards society, institutions and country. Some news channels even went overboard in maligning role of security agencies, armed forces and state institutions.

For instance, Geo News televised interview of an alleged eye witness of PNS Mehran attack and created undue sensation and hype without even bothering to verify the facts and realizing the grave repercussion that such irresponsible journalism could have on country. The eye witness later proved fake.

No responsible media anywhere in the world undermines the repute, respect sovereignty or integrity of its nation, institutions or its forces or pass aspersions against them. Instead, media in the world safeguard their national and strategic interests. Media in Pakistan has been given enormous freedom of expression and speech but there must be some line drawn between desirable and undesirable by media at their own. Media in Pakistan today has to understand their responsibility before it is too late.

PEMRA always upheld its policy of “Self Regulation” and will continue to do so. PEMRA is constantly engaged in consultative process with all its stakeholders to mitigate such occurrences which are not acceptable.