Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that the government is forming a framework for Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA) to regulate web TV, social media, and other media.
The minister announced this while addressing the launch ceremony of Media-Lab. Media-Lab is a private sector venture meant to identify, support, and speed up the preliminary innovative media start-up ideas involving tech-based innovation in digital media, the creation of original content, or other digital media products.
In the address, Chaudhry said that one of the reasons for the constitution of PMRA is that there is no one to address the grievances of the workers sacked by the media houses.
In other news, he mentioned that an Indian company has acquired a Pakistani drama serial for $450,000. It bodes well for the local drama industry, he remarked.
The minister also announced that the government is changing its advertisement policy. It will give away Rs.7 billion worth of advertisement this year.
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The minister further revealed that since Pakistan Super League has started this month, a major portion of advertisements will go to the sports channels instead of news channels.
Importance of Digital Media
In the ceremony, the minister highlighted the importance of digital media. He commented that the advertisement platforms are switching from formal media to digital media.
The government has also incorporated digital media in its advertisement tools. One-third of the government advertisements will go to the digital media now, he announced.
Moreover, the minister said that the media industry is undergoing a crisis, but that is because they are lagging behind in the use of modern technology. He also announced that the government has decided to transform the Associated Press of Pakistan into Digital Service of Pakistan.
The government spends Rs. 850 million on APP and yet, the majority of its staff cannot operate an email account, said Chaudhry.
He further divulged that the government has invited Facebook to establish its office in Pakistan.
Web media platforms such as netflix etc are thriving because 1. They can bypass the censorship rules of so called censor boards 2. They do not rely on advertisements alone. The idea to regularize such platforms will only negatively impact their progress.