Dawn alarmed by Geo blackout

JournalismPakistan.com
April 04, 2018

ISLAMABAD - Calling the blackout of Geo Television cause for considerable alarm, Dawn on Wednesday said not resisting such intimidation could threaten to destabilize the entire institution of journalism in Pakistan.

In an editorial ‘Bullying the media,’ the newspaper expressed concern that neither regulator PEMRA nor the ministry of information was behind the blackout. It hinted at the involvement of the military. “The fact that most affected areas appear to be military-run cantonments and housing authorities, and the forces behind the clampdown remain hidden, invites conjecture.”

The paper asked PEMRA to exert itself forcefully “not just to ensure that cable operators resume Geo’s transmission, but to investigate and reveal the elements behind this unconstitutional act.”

Admitting that political and media landscapes in Pakistan might be imperfect, Dawn maintained “they are the result of local struggles, not foreign agendas.”

The paper also appeared worried by the disunity among the media houses, saying Pakistan’s media must collectively draw its own line in the sand and stand ready to defend it.

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