Notices issued to 41 Pak channels for showing plane crash images
26 April 2012 3:44 AM IST
Pakistan's electronic media regulator on Thursday warned and issued show cause notices to 17 television news channels for airing unedited and gory images of a plane crash that killed 127 people. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) served show cause notices to the news channels, asking them to explain their "horrific and insane" coverage of the mutilated bodies of victims of the crash of a Bhoja Air Boeing 737 on April 20.
"There is no harm in taking edge over other channels in dissemination of timely and accurate news but the quest must not be to take the lead in indecency or irregularity," PEMRA said in a strongly worded statement.
It said the news channels had broadcast "unedited live footage of blood, gore, dead and mutilated bodies" after the Bhoja Air flight crashed into a field near the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Rawalpindi last Friday.
This was the second major crash in the vicinity of Islamabad in less than two years.
PEMRA said it was considering punitive action against the channels for their "extremely unethical and irresponsible" coverage.
"It's high time that the channels must realise their responsibility and define the do's and don'ts," the statement said.
The irresponsible actions of broadcasters are "not only adding disrepute to their very own channels but also fetch public wrath against the regulator", the statement said.
PEMRA also issued notices to 24 entertainment channels for airing "indecent, vulgar and unethical programmes, advertisements, shows (and) excessive foreign content and intruding into the personal and family life of people"
"There is no harm in taking edge over other channels in dissemination of timely and accurate news but the quest must not be to take the lead in indecency or irregularity," PEMRA said in a strongly worded statement.
It said the news channels had broadcast "unedited live footage of blood, gore, dead and mutilated bodies" after the Bhoja Air flight crashed into a field near the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Rawalpindi last Friday.
This was the second major crash in the vicinity of Islamabad in less than two years.
PEMRA said it was considering punitive action against the channels for their "extremely unethical and irresponsible" coverage.
"It's high time that the channels must realise their responsibility and define the do's and don'ts," the statement said.
The irresponsible actions of broadcasters are "not only adding disrepute to their very own channels but also fetch public wrath against the regulator", the statement said.
PEMRA also issued notices to 24 entertainment channels for airing "indecent, vulgar and unethical programmes, advertisements, shows (and) excessive foreign content and intruding into the personal and family life of people"
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