Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), which has been widely criticised by journalists, will have the authority to impose a fine of up to Rs250 million on TV channels.
He issued these remarks while speaking to digital broadcasters in an interactive session earlier today (Monday). The minister said that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was a ‘rich’ organisation, but did not work towards training journalists, researching or improving the state of digital media.
Fawad Chaudhry further said that seven existing laws regulate media in Pakistan. “Social media is overseen by the PTA, the Press Council manages the press, the electronic media is monitored by PEMRA,” he said. Labour regulations, the minister said, are managed by Implementation Tribunal for Newspapers Employees (ITNE), while the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) looks after newspaper registrations.
According to the minister, all these laws will be abolished to pave the way for the PDMA. While there is no provision about criminal liability in the PDMA, it can impose a fine of up to Rs250 million, according to the minister.
Backstory
The PMDA, a proposed regulatory body, which the government says is meant to cater to the professional and business requirements, is being seen by activists and journalists as an attempt to muzzle free speech. As per the government proposal, it will replace the existing ‘fractured’ regulatory procedures and ‘fragmented’ media regulation by various bodies. Meaning that once formalised, the PMDA will be the only body regulating print, broadcast and digital media in Pakistan.
The ordinance drafted for the the authority proposes abolishment of all previous laws related to media regulation. The PMDA would be given legal cover through fresh legislation.
