Top broadcast journalists body concerned at relegation of Geo News channel

ISLAMABAD: A body comprising senior broadcast journalists has expressed its concern over the relegation of the Geo News channel on cable TV, and asked the authorities to investigate the matter and take corrective measures, Geo News reported.

In a statement, the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) said, “the disruption in the placement of Geo News, as reported by the channel, and also noticed by viewers on various cable networks in the last few days, is a matter of serious concern and immediately needs corrective measures”.

“As per the Geo News management, no intimation or reasons have been given by Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for widespread disruption in the channel’s transmission across Pakistan,” it stated. The body reminded the media regulator of its responsibilities in this connection. “AEMEND urgently calls on Pemra to perform its lawful duties and ensure that the channel position of Geo News is not arbitrarily and unlawfully removed”.

The Association further called on Pemra to investigate the reasons for changing Geo’s channel number or removal on cable TV and to take action against those ultimately found responsible for this violation.

AMEND further said changing the number of Geo News on cable and disruption in its broadcast posed a threat to freedom of media and is an attempt to prevent people from exercising their fundamental right to access to information. The Association also called on cable operators to contact the relevant law-enforcement agencies if they are under undue pressure to change Geo channel position.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court will resume hearing of a petition challenging the disruption in Geo News broadcast. The IHC had on Tuesday adjourned the hearing till Wednesday while ordering the NAB chairman’s name to be removed from the list of respondents.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah headed the hearing on a petition filed by Raja Ahsan Mehmood and Faisal through their lawyer Jahangir Jadoon, earlier this week. “The editor-in-chief of Jang and Geo Media Group, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, was arrested in lieu of NAB laws. The arrest is in violation of a verdict of the IHC against the powers of arrest granted to the accountability bureau,” the petition stated.

“After the arrest of MSR, the placement of Geo News was changed by cable operators. The move was aimed at building pressure and silencing the voice of free press in Pakistan,” the petition said, demanding that the position of the channel be restored.

Pakistan Broadcasters’ Association (PBA) also took notice of cable operators’ complaint about relegation of Geo News position on cable. The PBA said Pemra had not cited any reason for closing or relegating Geo News. It said if Pemra had any complaint about a violation of its code of conduct, it should follow the law. It argued that changing the channel slot without hearing Geo was unjust and demanded immediate restoration of channel’s position on cable.