By Iram Salim
(Pakdestiny.com) PTI Chairman Imran Khan is not happy with Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for imposing a ‘meager fine’ on TV channels for airing baseless news of his third marriage.
Interestingly, PEMRA imposed a penalty of Rs0.5 million on 13 private television channels for airing fabricated news although it was Dunya TV of Mian Amer Mahmood that broke the fabricated news while the rest of the 12 channels did “cop and paste”.
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has taken action though PTI had long withdrawn its complaint.
PEMRA has maintained that the decision of imposing a fine was aimed at ‘upholding the standards of journalism’.
Each channel would have to pay a penalty of Rs0.5 million, PEMRA Complaints Council Islamabad said.
On July 12, almost all private television channels aired news about Imran Khan’s third marriage. Despite Imran’s categorical rejection the channels continued to air the news.
PTI Head of Central Media Department Iftikhar Durrani lodged a complaint against the channels on July 13. The party, however, withdrew its complaint against all the channels, except Dunya TV, on August 26.
PEMRA has also directed the 13 television channels to tender an unconditional apology for airing the false news, warning that non-compliance of which could lead to the cancellation of their licences.
“It’s against the fundamentals of justice. All channels who violated the code of conduct will be punished in a bid to uphold standards of journalism,” PEMRA said in a statement.
“PEMRA should ave imposed major penalty on Dunya News for breaking the baseless news of Imran third marriage to set an example for others,” a senior journalist suggests. He said the other channels should be fined for ;cut and paste’ the fabricated news. — Pak Destiny
Fine should be more substanstial
Only two news always come about imran dharna or marriage.
Media bejamaloo hai
The media must take full responsibility for false news !!! A step in the right direction……….. PAY UP !!!
First sensible news from pemra
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