TV channels prohibited from covering terrorist attacks in Pakistan: Report

Pakistan: The directives came after an earlier order urging TV channels to adhere to the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015, the report said.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) prohibited news channels from covering terrorist attacks, Pakistan based The News International Newspaper reported. The directives came after an earlier order urging TV channels to adhere to the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015, the report said.

The directives came after an earlier order urging TV channels to adhere to the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015, the report said. (Representational)

“It has been observed with grave concern that despite repeated directives satellite TV channels are unable to comply with provisions of the Electronic Media Code of Conduct-2015 in letter and spirit,” the notification stated. The regulatory body justified the decision saying that news channels resort to marathon transmission ignoring basic journalistic norms and ethics only to "take lead" and "credit" for breaking the news first.

Channels violate journalistic ethics by “airing live images of the crime scene”, the body said.

“Satellite TV channels and their staff are found ambivalent of not only their security but also create hurdles in rescue and combat operations,” PEMRA stated. adding that information shared on news channels in such a situation is "unverified, speculative without consulting security agencies present on the spot".

The authority also noted that such reporting creates chaos among domestic and overseas viewers saying that reporting such incidents gives benefits to terrorists for "using media as a form of political advertising" and serves their ideological purposes by "publicising their campaign".

"Moreover, media coverage of such incidents also gives terrorists an organisational advantage by allowing a specific group to exhibit its strength and audaciousness in comparison with its rivals," the watchdog stated.