PEMRA Asks TV Channels to Stop Vulgarity, Excessive ADs

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in its fresh ‘Advice’ issued to TV channels has asked them to immediately stop airing un-ethical and indecent content, programs and songs that are vulgar in nature.

PEMRA said that the advice is issued on directives of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Broadcasting & National Heritage.

PEMRA also raised serious concerns on excessive religious consumerism and Commercial programs aired in the Holy month of Ramzan.

Not Allowed: ADs of more than 12 minutes per hour, vulgar content

According to PEMRA such programs were not only lamented by the legislators but also by large number of public who have generally viewed these kind of programs against the norms and sanctity of the Holy Month.

The Authority directed all TV channels to follow below rules:

• No TV channel should air foreign content for more than 10% of total air-time, i.e. more than 2 and half hour of foreign content per day
• Combined duration of ADs with-in an hour should not exceed 12 minutes
• Programs promoting religious consumerism particularly hurting sanctity of the Holy month of Ramazan
• Not to use songs during news bulletins
• Programs and commercials containing indecent and objectionable clips etc.
• Programs on re-enactment and dramatization of crimes.

Moreover, the Authority has also advised private TV channels to telecast national anthem before the start of every day transmission as also being practiced in neighboring countries to promote patriotism.

PEMRA has also asked TV channels to develop healthy programs for the children as there is no serious focus on children programming and only couple of foreign channels are presently catering to this need.