Journalism Pakistan
Journalism Pakistan
Freedom of expression shrinks in Pakistan as PECA Amendments take toll: report اظہارِ رائے کی آزادی محدود، پیکا میں ترامیم سے میڈیا کو شدید دھچکا: رپورٹDawn urges Indian media to abandon war rhetoric ڈان کی بھارتی میڈیا سے جنگی بیانیہ ترک کرنے کی اپیلIndia bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels following Pahalgan attack پہلگام حملے کے بعد بھارت نے پاکستان کے 16 یوٹیوب چینلز پر پابندی لگا دی'In A Different Realm' offers a philosophical take on cricket's greatest innings ان اے ڈیفرنٹ ریلم کرکٹ کی عظیم ترین اننگز پر ایک فکری نقطۂ نظر پیش کرتی ہےCoordinated or coincidence? Identical tweets by Pakistani journalists raise eyebrows ہم آہنگی یا محض اتفاق؟ پاکستانی صحافیوں کے ایک جیسے ٹویٹس نے سوالات اٹھا دیےThe PSL paradox: pageantry or progress? پی ایس ایل کا تضاد: دکھاوا یا ترقی؟Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists after PTI expulsion پی ٹی آئی سے نکالے جانے کے بعد شیر افضل مروت کے صحافیوں پر ذاتی حملےJournalist Sanaullah Khan alleges FIA blocking accounts of YouTubers and families صحافی ثناء اللہ خان کا انکشاف: ایف آئی اے یوٹیوبرز اور ان کے خاندانوں کے اکاؤنٹس بلاک کر رہی ہےA launch in style: Dr. Nauman Niaz unveils 'In A Different Realm' ان اے ڈفرنٹ ریلم کی رونمائی: ڈاکٹر نعمان نیاز کی کتاب Sindhi journalist AD Shar brutally murdered, PFUJ declares three-day mourning سندھی صحافی اے ڈی شر کا بہیمانہ قتل، پی ایف یو جے نے تین روزہ سوگ کا اعلان کر دیاAJK government registers case against newspaper and staff آزاد کشمیر حکومت کا اخبار اور عملے کے خلاف مقدمہJournalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges FIA threats, possible arrest over reporting صحافی آرزو کاظمی کا دعویٰ: ایف آئی اے کی دھمکیاں، رپورٹنگ پر ممکنہ گرفتاری

Dawn opposes bill proposing more powers to PEMRA

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published January 27, 2021

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Dawn opposes bill proposing more powers to PEMRA

ISLAMABAD: Dawn on Wednesday opposed a bill by PTI Senator Faisal Javed proposing more powers to PEMRA to examine complaints against private channels of violating contractual obligations.

On Monday the Senate again rejected the bill as the opposition in the upper house feared that the government was using the rights of the working journalists to browbeat TV channels.

In an editorial —Pemra’s powers—Dawn agrees with the opposition’s view. “PPP Senator Sherry Rehman correctly described it as an attempt to gain further control over electronic media by using the ‘backdoor.’ She suggested discussions with representative bodies, including the Pakistan Broadcasters Association and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists before enacting such legislation.

The proposed bill called for amending Section 4 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. Under the proposed amendment, PEMRA would be responsible “for ensuring of signing, renewal, and execution of valid contract between a channel and correspondent, employee, journalist and reporter.” It would have also given PERMA power to ensure “the contract must include description of duties of employees and remuneration to be paid.”

Dawn, however, admitted that some media houses were violating their contractual obligations towards their employees, especially those lower down the pay scale. For example, payment of salaries can be delayed, sometimes by several months. But it maintained that it is not the regulator’s job to “delve into human resource management; its role should be limited to the content on electronic media.”

It is interesting to note that Dawn has slashed its employees’ salaries and done rightsizing over the last two years. Journalists have staged demonstrations outside Dawn’ offices in Islamabad and Karachi over its downsizing policy. 

The Dawn editorial said the rejected bill was another attempt by the PTI government to stifle press freedom in Pakistan. The newspaper also blamed the PTI government for not releasing advertising dues it owes to media outlets. “This, coupled with the overall economic downturn, has resulted in hundreds of journalists losing their jobs as media houses try to cope with shrinking revenues.”

The proposed bill’s statement of objects and reasons said the media industry in Pakistan was facing a slowdown. “The brunt of which is faced by media employees, reporters, newscasters, and correspondents, etc. in the form of layoffs, pay cuts and late or no payments of salaries. In some companies, employees have been forced to take pay cuts which they accepted without any resistance fearing the consequence of losing a job. Many news channels have discontinued primetime shows and downsized its employment. Thus need is felt to comprehensively deliberate and legislate upon the exploitation of media employees by the channels and companies.” 

 

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