By Sarmad Ali
Islamabad, July 14 (Pak Destiny) Why the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) is shying away to check violations despite the presence of a ‘Code of conduct for media broadcasters and cable TV operators’?
The answer seems to be simple one as the PML-N government does not want to make PEMRA a powerful autonomous body on the wish of some powerful media houses owners. Every one is talking of new ‘code of conduct’ but the PEMRA has already issued a code of conduct for the TV channels and cable operators but has miserably failed to implement it.
According to its code of conduct
Programmes:-
(1) No programme shall be aired which-
(a) passes derogatory remarks about any religion or sect or community or uses visuals or
words contemptuous of religious sects and ethnic groups or which promotes communal
and sectarian attitudes or disharmony;
(b) contains anything pornographic, obscene or indecent or is likely to deprave, corrupt or
injure the public morality;
(c) contains an abusive comment that, when taken in context, tends to or is likely to expose
an individual or a group or class of individuals to hatred or contempt on the basis of
race or caste, national, ethnic or linguistic origin, colour or religion or sect, sex, sexual
orientation, age or mental or physical disability;
(d) contains anything defamatory or knowingly false;
(e) is likely to encourage and incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of
law and order or which promotes anti-national or anti-state attitudes;
(f) contains anything amounting to contempt of court;
(g) contains aspersions against the Judiciary and integrity of the Armed Forces of Pakistan;
(h) maligns or slanders any individual in person or certain groups, segments of social,
public and moral life of the country;
(i) is against basic cultural values, morality and good manners;
(j) brings into contempt Pakistan or its people or tends to undermine its integrity or
solidarity as an independent and sovereign country;
(k) promotes, aids or abets any offence which is cognizable under the applicable laws;
(1) denigrates men or women through the depiction in any manner of the figure, in such a
way as to have the effect of being indecent or derogatory;
(m) denigrates children;
(n) anything which tends to glorify crime or criminals;
(o) contains material which may be detrimental to relations of Pakistan with other
countries; or
(p) contains material which is against ideology of Pakistan or Islamic values.
(2) Particular care should be taken to ensure that programmes meant for children do not contain
objectionable language or are disrespectful to their parents or elders.
Lets see if the government implements this code of conduct or goes for another one. – Pak Destiny