TV THOUGTS: A well-armed Pemra to control electronic media: Image Pakistan under renovation

Much as one is distracted by the channel surfing that has been done, as a matter of whimsical routine, and the availability of cable viewing, or the fact that both Mustansa Hussain Tarar and co host Aliya Shah zealously did the 100th episode of Shadi On Line, let me begin with the fact that the National Assembly has passed the Pemra (Amendment) Bill on cross media ownership. This allows newspaper owners to run television channels, said a newspaper report. Interesting thoughts come to mind. And this is obvious. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill was moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi in the National Assembly, which got clearance after clause-by clause discussion and voice vote, the report further said.
The National Assembly also rejected the opposition amendments through voice vote and passed the bill as reported by the Standing Committee on Information.
It may be recalled that the Federal Cabinet had in its meeting on 12th July 2003 had decided to do away with cross media restrictions. The Pemra Bill is now to be sent to the Senate for approval before making it an Act of parliament. The newspaper report has said that the "statement of objectives and reasons would strengthen the enforcement mechanism by conferring additional powers on Pemra to impose and recover fines, acquire search warrants and seize equipment used for illegal operations.
The Bill empowers the Authority with regulatory tools such as powers to issue determinations and regulations". It is reported that "amendment of section 27 of the Pemra Ordinance 2002 says the Authority shall order, in writing the reasons, thereof to prohibit any broadcaster, media or distribution service operator from broadcasting or re-broadcasting or distributing any programme or advertisement if it is of the opinion that such particular programme or advertisement is against the ideology of Pakistan, or is likely to create hatred among the people or is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or is likely to disturb public peace and tranquillity or endanger national security or is pornographic, obscene, or vulgar or is offensive to the commonly accepted standard of decency.
The Bill has also sought the powers to prohibit engaging in any practice or act, which amounts to abuse of media power by way of harming the legitimate interests of another licensee or wilfully causing damage to any other person." Newspaper reports further indicate that the Authority has also been empowered to impose fine upto one million rupees on a licensee who contravenes any of the provisions of this Ordinance or rules and regulations made thereunder.
Then this is what amendment 33, say newspaper reports, provides. "Whosoever damages, removes, tampers with or commits theft of any equipment or broadcast media station licensed by the Authority, including transmitting or broadcasting apparatus, receiver, boosters, converters, distributors, antennas, wires, decoders set-top boxes or multiplexes, shall be guilty of offence punishable with imprisonment which may be extended to three years or with fine, or both. The Bill also seeks to strengthen the role of Council of Complaints as a mediator between the Authority and the general public.
And under section 33 B of the proposed Act, on the information furnished by the Authority, the court having reasons to believe that any unlicensed broadcast media or distribution service is being owned, controlled, or operated or its equipment is being kept or concealed, may issue a search warrant and the person to whom such warrant is directed may enter the premises where such unlicensed broadcast media or distribution service is being owned, controlled operated or provided or its equipment kept or concealed, carry out search and inspection thereof and seize all or any equipment. And this particular report further said that the offences under the proposed act would be compoundable and cognisable."
One assumes that the Pemra Bill will be further discussed in the days ahead. Its implementation will be watched with keen interest, to say the least. I would like to mention the Dawn editorial that appeared on 19th May which has commented on the Bill under the heading: "Controlling electronic media". This is how the editorial begins the enforcement clauses contained in the Pemra Amendment Bill (2005) passed by the National Assembly constitute a retrograde step as far as the freedom of the electronic media is concerned. It goes on to point out that the legislation increases the control of the government over the electronic media.
Several new provisions have been added to the existing law seeking to strengthen the regulatory authority's powers to shut down a channel on grounds of any of its programmes presumed to have vulgar or obscene content. However, in doing so, the definition of what is obscene and vulgar has not been clearly stated. Also, Pemra has been empowered to close down any radio or TV channel which it thinks airs or telecasts material "offensive to commonly accepted standards of decency.
This is a very ambiguous and arbitrary provision, which, given, the tendency of governments in Pakistan, could well be misused by the authority to keep in check broadcasters who are seen to air programmes critical of government policies. Besides, what exactly are "commonly accepted standards of decency? seems specifically to strengthen the official control over the electronic media and makes a mockery of the government claim of being a fervent upholder of media freedom."
In Karachi last week there was held a seminar on "Modernisation of Cable TV industry and its responsibilities" by the Pakistan Electronic Regulatory Authority Sindh. The PEMRA chief Iftikhar Rashid who was the chief guest declared at the seminar that "we shall never allow the cable operators to show obscene movies or any other programme on TV. In case such an act is done, strict action will be taken against operators. The Pemra Chairman further said that Pakistan cable TV industry has now been modernised on global standards. He added that new technology has been adopted to help the cable operators reduce cost to the minimum.
At the same time it is the top priority to regulate the cable network in accordance with the country's basic norms and commensurate with Islamic culture.
There were other speakers also at this seminar and it is interesting to see the names of those who participated. These included Dr Tahir Masood, Chairman Mass communication, Karachi University; Ayaz Ahmed Uquali, Telecom and Engineering department, FAST; Sameer Hoodbhoy, expert Microsoft, IT; Asim Riaz, Faculty member, SZABIST; Riffat Bajwa, Expert IT; Haroon Zafar, Engineer, Saleem Akhtar, representative, of Cable Operators Association, and the Regional Manager of Pemra Sindh.
The Karachi University Professor said that Pemra should protect our Islamic culture, and cable operators should realise the prime duty of delivering good. He added that the Indian culture reaching the masses in Pakistan is distorting the two-nation theory, which he reiterated was the very foundation of Pakistan. Ayaz Ahmed Uquali gave a presentation on the country's cable networks, their needs, services and possibilities.
He felt that the cable networks were expanding and flourishing everyone has an access to it, and it is now their responsibility to ensure the availability of cable TV to all. Other speakers also emphasised the need to have quality in the services that cable operators are currently providing.
Concern was also expressed on morality of the channels, and on the responsibility that that cable operators had to ensure that subscribers get a maximum number of channels, and easily. (the present situation is unsatisfactory, I may add).
Other points that emerged from the seminar were that 40 to 100 TV channels were being relayed by cable operators in Pakistan. Let us pick up the PTV theme again today in the light of reports which indicate that the PTV has recorded profits of Rs 180m in the last nine months (2004-2005). A senior official of the state managed medium has been quoted as saying that the PTV had managed to payback a long standing overdraft of Rs 300 million.
It was said that PTV registered a loss of Rs 470 million during the fiscal year, 2003-2004.And that the government decision to change the management proved effective as major targets to improve the financial condition of the channel were achieved in the last nine months. This unnamed PTV official said that the PTV had adopted an aggressive marketing strategy as it banned the allotment of different time slots on different PTV channels to private parties.
It was further stated that the collection of TV license fees through electricity bills was another major initiative that had a positive bearing on the organisation's financial condition. The unnamed official further said that there was an increase of 37 per cent in its advertising revenue, and there was also a huge saving of Rs100 million through satellite charges and equipment purchases. This gentleman further said that PTV also recovered dues of more than million that were outstanding since July last year from various advertising agencies.
And now with this financial turnaround the PTV is focusing on presentation, graphics, and the overall look of its channels for which a professional creative unit has been established. An upgradation of equipment was also being initiated and digital equipment worth Rs 830 million (new cameras and master control rooms) was being acquired.
Perhaps all this is being done to enable the government to try and promote a "softer image" of the country. Another report that has caught one's attention is the one which says that a Media advisor has been hired for "softer image" project.
The individual is Mehreen Khan, posted at the Prime Minister's secretariat. She was some time ago hosting the BBC world question time Pakistan programme. She leads the Image Pakistan project. Reports indicate that Mehreen Khan will put together a team for the soft image project, the object of which is to neutralise the country's negative image abroad. The consequences of a poor image abroad, is something that we are all familiar with.
The question is whether the relationship between image and reality will be handled efficiently and fairly. Many questions come to mind. Puzzling questions, and let us see what the image pundits have to say. Yes, pundits at work again.