Government to grant industry status to media soon: Firdous

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 24 May 2021

Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan announced the government's intention to grant industry status to the media. This move aims to address challenges faced by journalists and ensure financial aid.

Summary

SIALKOT—The government is considering granting media the status of industry, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab on Information, said this at a media talk.

"It will solve many problems that the journalist community is facing," she said. Pakistani journalists working in the industry will be fully compensated for performing their professional duties and responsibilities. The government is committed to providing economic and social protection to journalists," she said.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Punjab government is providing financial support to many deserving journalists. So far, out of 378 journalists, more than Rs24 million has been disbursed to the needy journalists.

"In fact, press freedom is an integral part of the PTI government manifesto," she expressed, emphasizing that the current government is committed to restoring journalism to its true spirit.

Globally, many countries have provided industry status to media, which can be defined as a diverse collection of press organizations and media outlets. The main functions of the media industry are the production, publication, and distribution of media content, such as texts and visuals. According to a rough estimate, the United States media and entertainment industry is a $703 billion market. It comprises different media businesses to produce and distribute motion pictures, television programs and commercials, live streaming, music and audio recordings, podcasting, broadcast, radio, and publications. The American M&E market, which is 33 percent of the global media industry, is also believed to be the world's largest media market.

Photo: Twitter (@Dr_FirdousPTI)