Television channels not asked to censor opposition leaders: PEMRA

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 22 (APP):Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), contradicting the opposition Senators’ claims during meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, on Tuesday stated it had not asked television channels to censor the activities of opposition leaders.

Chairman PEMRA Saleem Baig, while sharing figures of coverage patterns of television channels, claimed that it was disproportionately giving more coverage to Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema Islam and the party’s other

leaders.

Chairman Senate Committee Faisal Javed presided over the meeting held here at Parliament House. The opposition Senators including Senator Pervaiz Rashid and Senator Moula Bux Chandio, raised the issue of non-coverage of leaders of opposition parties by television channels and claimed that interviews and speeches of Asif Ali Zardari, Maryam Nawaz and Maulana Fazlur Rehman were censored.

The Chairman PEMRA noted that channels were giving 46 percent of their time

for current affairs to Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his party members nowadays. The activities of Maulana Fazlur Rehman were being aired, he added.

The opposition Senators left the meeting early saying they were not satisfied with the replies of Chairman PEMRA.

The Chairman Committee directed that PEMRA should ensure that cable operators give first four positions in their catalogue to Pakistan Television.

Faisal Javed told the PEMRA officials that owners of FM radio channels were abandoning their businesses, complaining of heavy license fees.

A PEMRA official informed that licences of televisions were renewed after 15 years and those of radio channels after 10 years. He said PEMRA issued licences to radio channels according to market determined prices.

Frequency Allocation Board had limited frequency to distribute among radio channels, he added.

He said Parliament had authorised PEMRA through law to form regulations for allotment of licences and on determination of fees. FM radio owners had approached the court on the issue of licence fees, he added.

Senator Anwar ul Haq Karar said radio channel licence-holders should submit their financial statements. He said television channels were not bound to air the rallies of political parties for hours.

Faisal Javed said certain television channels were not giving salaries to their workers and removing them from jobs. While seconding his views, Karar said media owners were keeping their workers on daily wages for years.

Managing Director Pakistan Television Aamer Manzoor told the committee that Pakistan Television still could not pay off remaining pension dues of Rs 1.2 billion to 250 of its retired workers due to serious financial crunch.

Later Chairman Committee held an in-camera session on the affairs of  state broadcaster Pakistan Television.

VNS Islamabad

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