Representative organisations of media industry reject Pakistan Media Deve­lopment Authority

Published August 12, 2021
The representative orga­n­isations of the media industry urged members of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Com­mittee on Information to reject the PMDA completely. — Reuters/File
The representative orga­n­isations of the media industry urged members of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Com­mittee on Information to reject the PMDA completely. — Reuters/File

KARACHI: All representative organisations and associations of media in-dustry — the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Dir­ec­­t­­o­rs (AEMEND) — have rejected the proposed Pakistan Media Deve­lopment Authority (PMDA) and termed the law behind it a draconian one.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, they criticised the law and described the move as a step towards imposing state control over all segments of media through creation of a single over-centralised body.

They said the PMDA appeared to be aimed at subjugating freedom of expression and of the press. The law is an attempt to tighten the federal government’s control over the media from one platform but ignores the fact that print, electronic and social media are separate entities with their own defined features.

They said the move to bring under state control all types of media organisations through one body indicates an authoritarian streak, which should have no place in a democratically elected dispensation.

The representative orga­n­isations of the media industry urged members of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Com­mittee on Information to reject the proposed body completely, said the joint statement.

As per the government’s proposal, the Pakistan Media Deve­lopment Autho­rity will solely be responsible for the regulation of print, broadcast and digital media in the country.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Tax tussles
Updated 21 Jun, 2025

Tax tussles

Lawmakers should try and fix the broken tax system rather than advocating for new amnesties.
Seniority crisis
21 Jun, 2025

Seniority crisis

THE Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court has determined that there is nothing wrong with Pakistan’s president...
Monsoon readiness
21 Jun, 2025

Monsoon readiness

OUR cities are once again staring down the very real prospect of waterlogged streets and stalled life with PMD’s...
Power lunch
Updated 20 Jun, 2025

Power lunch

However things develop in the Israel-Iran war, Pakistan must maintain its position, and stand by its neighbouring state.
Refuge denied
20 Jun, 2025

Refuge denied

ON World Refugee Day, it is essential we confront the scale of human displacement, which has now reached...
Income tax rate
20 Jun, 2025

Income tax rate

FINALLY, some clarity. After the confusion created over the applicable rate on the lowest income tax bracket due to...