ISLAMABAD: Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said all existing laws related to media regulation are being repealed and new legislation is being enacted in consultation with stakeholders.
The minister briefed a meeting of the Senate and National Assembly Standing Committees on Information and Broadcasting on the key features of the draft law of Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA).
He said in modern times, television, radio and newspapers have become part of mobile phones and they needed a single and converged regulatory authority. He said it is necessary to regulate electronic, print, digital, and emerging media platforms through Pakistan Media Development Authority.
Fawad said that media in Pakistan was regulated by seven bodies – PEMRA, Press Council Pakistan (PCP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Censor Board, Press Registrar’s Office, ABC, and ITNE. He said digital media was not regulated anywhere, but under this proposed legal framework, all laws of media regulation are being scrapped.
The minister briefed the participants on the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA). He said seven bodies are playing their role in regulating media but there are flaws. He said effective legislation is being made by bringing them together and a detailed consultation has been held with all the stakeholders.
Fawad said there are 42 journalism schools in the country but not a single rupee has been spent on development and there are many problems with social media. He said the biggest was privacy and it is necessary to regulate social media.
He said Pakistan Media Development Authority will have a chairman and 12 members, including six technical experts from the private sector. He said media regulatory authorities of four countries have been studied for the establishment of this authority.
He said the authority will have five directorates — film and digital media, electronic media, print media, media literacy and administration/finance. There will be a Media Complaints Commission which will have five members. There will also be a media tribunal consisting of 10 members chaired by a judge of superior court. There will be two members from each province and Islamabad will have one member.
He claimed that the PMDA had been formed in consultation with all stakeholders, including CPNE, APNS, PBA, media organisations. Senator Faisal Javed said that the minister has given a detailed briefing on the media authority and the matter will be reviewed in detail in Senate after consultation with all the members of the committee.
