PEMRA directs news channel owners to ensure strict content monitoring

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has directed all satellite television channels licensees to form an in-house committee to ensure compliance with the Electronic Media Code of Conduct, 2015.

The directives issued by PEMRA said TV channels should ensure deployment of effective time delay mechanism and an impartial and independent Monitoring Committee or Editorial Board be constituted, as required under clause 17 of Electronic Media (Programs and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015, Radio Pakistan reported.

The news channels’ owners have been asked not to allow their platform to be used by anyone to mislead public through disinformation conjecturing and speculations.

PEMRA warned the media owners that licensee shall be held responsible for any biased, unfair analysis or propaganda against judiciary and state institutions by their employees.

It also advised media channels to invite participants with due care, having credibility as fair and unbiased analysts with requisite knowledge and expertise on the subject matter.

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued notice to all television channels, barring to invite Hafiz Hamdullah in TV programmes.

The authority (PEMRA) ordered all television channel in its letter, a copy of which obtained by ARY News, to stop inviting and projecting the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) firebrand Senator Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah as he is a ‘confirmed Alien’ as per records of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and ‘not a citizen of Pakistan’.