The decision, reportedly, of enabling the state-run Pakistan tv (PTV) to compile Rs100 as an alternative of Rs35 per month in electricity bills, is yet a further addition to a protracted listing of discrimination against the mainstream media in Pakistan. a listing which started in 2003, the yr the Pakistan digital Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) changed into shaped.
Pakistan ranks 142, out of 180 international locations, within the 2019 World Press Freedom Index, published through reporters without borders, essentially due to such guidelines which pose an existentialist possibility to the media.
This new coverage will enable the PTV to compile Rs21 billion from distribution/license price every year, besides the billions it raises from inner most sector promoting. I can't feel of another public broadcaster in world which raises salary from deepest sector advertising, moreover mounted distribution/license payment. definitely, PTV is the best tv community in Pakistan which earns from both.
considering the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf came to vigour, 70 per cent of promoting rates of inner most channels were slashed. one at a time, ads from the govt and personal sector have dropped by over 50 per cent. For over a year, government officers debated on a way to clear media dues of over Rs6 billion.
subsequently, a financially complicated-pressed media laid off a number of individuals, slashed salaries and delayed payments to its employees for months.
Now, a public broadcaster like the PTV already has a gap and a vital position to play. besides the fact that children, an equal and degree playing container needs to be supplied to the different media properties in a democracy, to make sure plurality of opinion and guidance.
As of now, the PTV continues to remain outdoor the preview of PEMRA, the regulatory body, and consequently doesn't have to pay any upfront license charge to launch a brand new channel or an annual revenue sharing payment like other broadcasters. in addition, the state broadcaster is not restrained with the aid of PEMRA rules to air simplest 4 channels and as an alternative has eight channels up to now. This restriction applies to all other media businesses, except the PTV. This rule turned into enforced in 2009, after the lawyers flow and elections of 2008.
Over in neighboring India, there is no limit to the number of channels per tv community. definitely, its principal media agencies run well-nigh 50 to 60 channels each.
an extra discrimination in the PEMRA rules of 2009 is that Pakistani channel owners are barred from having any shareholding in tv distribution platforms like cable television, Direct-to-domestic (DTH) and internet Protocol tv (IPTV). This once again is devoid of precedent.
Such discrimination is the reason the Pakistani media has no longer improved in dimension and income and it's almost 30 instances smaller than the Indian media in terms of annual revenues. India has over a thousand television channels now. as a result of large number of successful digital television, cable television and DTH systems, Indian channels have a attain of over ninety per cent to households, compared to around 50 per cent in Pakistan.
As of now, Pakistani cable tv is still often non-digital. Pakistan has yet to launch a DTH tv distribution platform, while Indian DTH systems have earned billions of greenbacks from Pakistan market via unlawful distribution networks within the closing 15 years.
internationally, the inner most sector media is encouraged to earn both from promoting and subscription/distribution income. In Pakistan, it is the reverse.
The previous governments, as neatly because the present one, have been incredibly conscious of PTV's woes, however they have not introduced a pay tv regime in Pakistan for private sector channels. one of these system would have ensured distribution revenues for tv networks.
additionally, in different countries, regulators like PEMRA make certain that the cable television operators pay a pre-determined price to channel house owners for carrying their channel. For this intention , cable television and different distribution platforms reserve a portion of the subscription they compile from subscribers and pass it onto tv networks.
The television trade in Pakistan has played an immense function within the success of Pakistan's handiest satellite i.e. Paksat 1-R. although, because of coverage restrictions it has not been able to make a contribution just like the Indian media business, which has taken a number of Indian satellites for DTH and television channels.
due to a backlog of payments and different economic disaster, the Pakistan television business now owes billions to Paksat 1-R and is pressured to search for cheaper options if you want to bog down Pakistan's satellite tv for pc program.
before the latest directive, to boost the license fee to Rs100, become rolled out viewers were now not consulted. no one asked them if they would want to pay a more robust payment for state coverage and propaganda.
Majority of the viewing in Pakistan has shifted to private sector media, whereas the state broadcaster has been piling up losses within the closing many years. really, an operational profit was introduced simplest ultimate year by using the PTV. despite the fact in its place of aiding the enlargement of mainstream media, the government has opted to deliver additional materials to the state media. The PTV now has an extra revenue move of Rs14 billion. then again, the mainstream media dues of Rs6 billion are nonetheless pending, despite repeated calls for via the Pakistan Broadcasters affiliation and All Pakistan Newspapers Society.
the entire above disparities are a clear violation of Article 25 of the constitution, which pleads equality and non-discrimination. It's also against the spirit of the United Nation's universal announcement of Human Rights, which protects and encourages freedom of expression.
The Pakistani state builds a case in opposition t itself at global boards by such disparities and discrimination towards local media outlets.
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