President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday pledged that the incumbent government help print media industry come out of its current crisis.
The president made this commitment, while addressing the 24th Award Distribution Ceremony of All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) that was held here on Wednesday.
He said the print media is in crisis across the globe. It is facing the biggest challenge in the form of rise of social/online media.
The president said that the government is seriously committed to bringing the print media industry out of its current crisis.
On the occasion, Business Recorder's Deputy Chief Executive Arshad A Zuberi was conferred "Lifetime Achievement Award", while the publisher of newspaper and Aaj News CEO Asif A. Zuberi received "50 Years of Excellence Award" for Business Recorder publication.
Keeping in view the challenges being faced by the print media industry, its survival seems to be very difficult under the current dynamics of the electronic, social and online media, Dr Alvi said.
The new generation reads newspapers through online editions and they do not read the printed paper, he said.
"Now the media instruments are changed and people [even] read books on [the] web/internet," he said.
As a representative of the state, the president assured that the government would fully support the print media.
He said he would sit with the Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan to resolve the financial issues of the industry.
The president cautioned that "fake news" is the biggest threat being faced by electronic and social media.
Pakistan is in danger due to the growing menace of 'fake news', the president was of the view.
President Alvi said those countries and nations who are lecturing others on human rights, are now closing their borders to refugees.
On the contrary, Pakistan despite being a poor country has hosted 5.1 million Afghan refugees for four decades and even today 2.5 million are still living there.
"This is our character and the real essence of Pakistan," he added.
President Alvi said the Pakistani people are facing a number of health issues such as malnutrition, stunting and hepatitis, and the well-to-do would have to come forward to tackle them.
President Alvi asked media to come forward in resolving issues of importance to the nation such as the eradication of polio and women's shares in inheritance, etc.
The President said that with APNS struggling for the rights of journalists since long, the present government was also making all possible efforts and playing its role to address the challenges faced by print media.
These challenges could be addressed through dialogue, he added.
The President said that despite the growth and popularity of electronic and social media, particularly among the youth, print media had its own importance and place in society.
He said that the previous governments had used the advertising policy for their political objectives.
The President said that with 40 percent of the country's children facing malnutrition, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan was working hard on health issues.
He said that the Pakistani nation had exhibited its courage in the fight against terrorism and extremism.
The President referred to the current situation in India and said the neighbouring country had fallen into a deep ravine.
In her speech, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan assured the media industry that the government would try to clear pending dues of the print media industry before June 2020.
From March 2020 onwards, a comprehensive media strategy for allocation of budgets, media releases and strategy for new businesses, and clearance of pending dues would be finalized in consultation with media. She said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed all ministries to clear the pending payments of the print media industry.
The government fully supports media and wants to strengthen it.
"There seems to be some miscommunication or communication gap or communication failure between the government and the media, and the government would sit with the media to remove their apprehensions," she said.
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan requested the APNS to submit their comments on the draft advertisement policy for consideration.
The APNS is the most important stakeholder and their comments are very important in finalizing the new advertisement policy, she added.
She also assured equal distribution of budget for media on the basis of the circulation of the newspapers.
About the social media regulations, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that a committee had been formed to review social media regulations.
The APNS President, Hameed Haroon, highlighted the issues and challenges being faced by the print media industry. He said the combined pending dues of print and electronic media are less than Rs 7 billion. Muhammad Aslam Kazi, Javed Jabbar, Saleem Asmi, Masudah Ahmed, I.R. Rehman, Jamshed Quershi, and Pir Syed Sufaid Shah, were also conferred "Lifetime Achievement Award".
Meanwhile, Daily Aaghaz, Akhbar-e-Jahan and Daily Business Recorder, Daily Business Report, Daily Dawn, Daily Gharib Faisalabad, Daily Ebrant Faisalabad, Daily Jang, Urdu Digest, Daily Wafaq and others were conferred "APNS Gold Award".
The APNS Gold Awards were also conferred upon advertising agencies within the category of lifetime agencies (50 years excellence in the field of advertising).
Among others, awards were conferred upon Oktopus, IAL, Ms Ad com, Manhattan International, National Advertisers (Pvt) Ltd, Bond Advertising, and other agencies.
The APNS awards were also conferred within the categories of best feature in English and Urdu, best business report, best investigative report (Ziad Zafar, Dawn Karachi), best environmental gender report (Razia Fareed, Jang Karachi), best cartoon (Muhammad Zaheer, Dawn Islamabad), best photographer (Khaliq Khan, Paki), and best cover story for periodical award.
Advertising awards were distributed in two categories, i.e., business award and creative awards.
Best business performing Gold Award was given to Midas (Pvt) Ltd and a Gold Award was also conferred upon Dr Tanvir.
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