PEMRA Amendment Bill will protect the rights of media workers

PEMRA Amendment Bill 2023 has been prepared to protect the rights of media workers and lay the foundation of responsible media.

This was stated by the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb while addressing a news conference in Islamabad today (Saturday, July 22^nd). She said that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Amendment Bill 2023 has been prepared to lay the foundation of responsible media.

The Information Minister has said that the PEMRA Amendment Bill laid in the National Assembly the other day was crafted after detailed consultations of eleven months with the relevant stakeholders and keeping in view the best international practices. She said it is not the government’s bill but that of the media and the people of Pakistan.

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Marriyum Aurangzeb pointed out that at present one hundred and forty channels of variant nature including that of news and current affairs, entertainment, health and agriculture, education, and specialized subjects are operating in the country. She said this diversification in media necessitated the preparation of the bill. The amendment bill differentiates between misinformation and disinformation. She said this has been done after studying the relevant laws of various countries including that of the European Union, UK, Malaysia, India, and others.  She said the bill envisages a complete mechanism to determine between misinformation and disinformation.

“It is the first time that content of Children and timely payment of salaries, not later than two months, has been added to the bill’s preamble. It is also the first time that media stakeholders have been given representation in the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority,” the Federal Minister for Information said, adding that under the bill, working journalists can now also lodge complaints with the Council of Complaints on any issue faced by them.