Separate body for electronic media: Gilani pledges all support to regional press

LAHORE, April 30: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has pledged to resolve the problems being faced by the regional press and urged the media to play its due role in creating national reconciliation and meeting the challenges of terrorism and extremism. "The difficult conditions the country is facing these days demand reconciliation among people rather than pushing them towards anarchy. I do believe that the nation and the Press rise and fall together," the prime minister said at the Second APNS Regional Press Convention at a local hotel on Saturday. He constituted a committee headed by Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan to assess in consultation with the APNS problems being faced by the regional press and evolve a strategy for their resolution. He also urged the APNS to assess and recommend as to how newspaper workers especially those belonging to the regional press could be given the Employees Old Age Benefit Institution's different packages. The information minister announced that the Electronic Media Directorate was being established in the department to separately deal with the electronic media and its issues like exclusive advertisement budget. "The Press Information Department used to deal only with the newspapers and periodicals, missing the component of electronic media facilitation," she said. APNS President Hameed Haroon demanded redefining the regional press, giving newspapers in previously small but now big cities like Multan and Faisalabad metropolitan status, and advertisements and other facilities accordingly. Responding to a comment made by an APNS office bearer that he (Gilani) was once a journalist, the prime minister said he was not. He said he did his master's in journalism and had of late obtained a PhD degree in the subject from Turkey. "Mind it, this degree is genuine," he said in a lighter vein. In his speech the prime minister agreed that the regional press should be developed and given facilities accordingly. The role of national newspapers and periodicals was important in strengthening democratic institutions but regional press also could not be ignored. "I do realise that the regional newspapers are playing an important role in highlighting local issues and promoting local talent. I also know that metropolitan newspapers grab major chunk of the government and private advertisements and the regional papers are not able to get their due share despite a great struggle," he said. Therefore, he announced, he was asking the information department to sympathetically consider implementing the 25 per cent advertisement quota for the regional press. "And if there is some problem, form such a strategy in consultation with all stakeholders through which the regional newspapers can get their due share," he said.He also asked the information department to propose as to how the quality of regional newspapers could be brought to the level of those in big cities. It should arrange training workshops for improving the skills of their journalists. Earlier, the prime minister lavished praise on the national press for remaining at the forefront of the struggle which the PPP launched for the establishment of rule of law and Constitution, and protection of the rights of the people under the leadership of the late Benazir Bhutto. "Now when democracy has been restored we consider you indispensable for its fortification," he said. He recounted the steps the PPP had taken for the freedom of the press in the country. The vision and approach of the Bhuttos laid the foundation of the freedom the press in Pakistan was enjoying, he said. He said his government maintained the PPP's tradition of ensuring freedom of the press; the initial decisions taken by it included the repeal of the Pakistan Media Regulatory Ordinance 2007 which was a black law. He said the government amended media laws not to chain it but to grant it more freedom, making it more vibrant. He said the establishment of a tripartite commission for the Wage Board Award's implementation and a fund for the assistance of the families of journalists who lose their lives in the line of duty, the project of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Media University in Islamabad, clearance of outstanding advertisement dues of newspapers, gracious grants for all press clubs, and encouragement of all institutions and bodies working for the freedom of the press were some of the government's achievements. Mr Gilani committed that the government would utilise all its resources for the resolution of problems of the newspaper industry and journalists. He expressed hope the press would also fulfill its national and regional obligations. He promised a plot in Islamabad for the APNS centre and payment of Rs50 million for APNS House in Karachi. The information minister said the prime minister had asked her to act as a bridge between the private media and state institutions in Pakistan. President Zardari, who had recently met office bearers of the PFUJ and different press clubs, had also asked her to work for the betterment of journalists. He had asked for finding ways to benefit press workers and giving health and life insurance to journalists exposed to dangers while reporting. She said there was concern regarding the implementation of the Wage Board Award. The matter was sub judice and a court decision was expected, she said. She said the government did recognise the role of the APNS. It wanted to safeguard the interests of the media owners while protecting the rights of workers through public-private partnership, she added. Mr Hameed Haroon said the APNS was a democratic body. It showed moderation during dictatorships but no-one could blame it for bowing before the dictators. On one occasion Gen Zia had remarked that "there is light at the end of the tunnel". And he had replied as APNS secretary general that "there is light but it may well be a railway engine". "Gen Zia did not like the comment but APNS President Majid Nizami did not mind it showing the democratic aspect of the body," he said. The chief organiser of the convention, Mumtaz Tahir, also spoke.