IHC orders implementation of Television Audience Measurement regulations in letter and spirit

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 8 December 2018

The Islamabad High Court has ruled for the implementation of Television Audience Measurement regulations, addressing concerns about bias in ratings. This decision aims to provide a balanced representation of media audiences across different demographics.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court has ordered implementation of Television Audience Measurement (TAM) regulations in letter and spirit as it concluded a case filed by Daily Times Editor Raza Rumi.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah’s ruling would now ensure balanced, fair and representative media ratings.

Rumi filed the case four years ago through his counsel Yasser Latif Hamdani, objecting to the discriminatory manner television ratings were measured by a private company.

The petitioner had pointed out there was a pro-urban and geographical bias that left large areas excluded from the exercise, skewing the media to cater to a small percentage of the urban middle class. It violated the constitution’s Article 25.

Counsel for the petitioner told the court that there was only one private rating company which had a monopoly, and this violated PEMRA Ordinance and the Competition Act.

PEMRA and the private media company had earlier told the IHC that the regulator had no jurisdiction in the matter.

The watchdog formulated the TAM regulations after the Supreme Court held that it did have the jurisdiction to regulate the ratings.

These regulations contain clauses that seek distribution of television rating meters and making geographical and gender distribution a key obligation for the exercise.