Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has prohibited TV channels across the nation from airing and covering information and content from reporting terror attacks as it “creates panic and unwarranted chaos among the viewers not only in the country but also Pakistanis living abroad”.

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

In its notification, the Pakistan media regulatory authority said, “It has been observed with grave concern that satellite TV channels are unable to comply with rules of Electronic Media Code of Conduct-2015 in text and spirit despite repeated directives.”

The regulatory authority justified its decision by claiming that during a terror attack, news networks turn to marathon broadcasts while disregarding fundamental journalistic standards and ethics in order to “claim lead” and “credit” for breaking the news first. The notification adds that by “airing live images of the crime scene,” the media channels are also violating journalistic standards.

“Satellite TV channels and their staff is found ambivalent of not only their own security but also create hurdles in rescue as well as combat operations,” PEMRA stated.

Information shared on TV channels in such a situation is “unverified, speculative without consulting security agencies present on the spot… Such reporting hence creates panic and unwarranted chaos among the viewers not only in the country but also Pakistanis living abroad,” it added. PEMRA further noted that reporting of terror attacks allows terrorists to use media as “forum of political advertising” and serves their ideological purposes by “publicising their campaign”.

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.

Image source: ANI