Govt not to allow any one to block the cable TV operations in the country: Sherry
17 April, 2008
|
| Govt not to allow any one to block the cable TV operations in the country: Sherry |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ISLAMABAD: The cable operators are the main source of dissemination of information to the public and the new democratic government will not allow any one to block the cable TV operations in the country.
Government believes in the freedom of information and public access to information, therefore, no one will be allowed to disrupt the free flow of information. This was stated by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ms. Sherry Rehman, while talking to a delegation of Cable Operators Association of Pakistan that called on her, here today, under the leadership of the chairman of the association, Mr. Khalid Sheikh.
"The government has already tabled the bill to remove black media laws and we will take more measures for freedom of media" the Minister said. "To ensure smooth running of the cable TV network throughout the country, a hotline service would be set up at the Information Ministry, where cable operators would register their complaints of any external pressure for blocking their system or a particular TV channel", the Minister added.
The members of the delegation appreciated the vision of the government for media freedom and briefed the Minister about their problems. The Minister assured the delegation to look into their problems.
Later on, with a view to providing a balanced coverage to the opposition’s point of view as well as the treasury benches in the parliament, the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman, has directed the PTV management to ensure that the state television acts as a prime source of information to the electorate that have sent their representatives to the parliament. "There must be no-black out of opposition as was the case during the previous regime", the Minister stated and added that free clean feed of the coverage of the parliament session will be provided to the private TV channels by PTV.
Sherry Rehman also reiterated the democratic government’s resolve that media would be given access to the meetings of the parliament’s standing committees and arrangements will be made for live coverage of these meetings.
End.
|
