ISLAMABAD: The Pak­istan Electronic Media Reg­ulatory Authority (Pem­­ra) has issued an advisory to all satellite news and current affairs channels, urging them to highlight positive developments in the country and promote optimism to build healthy society, instead of portraying a bad image of the country by giving extra coverage to crime news and negative issues, Dawn has learnt.

The advisory says that despite repeated requests some channels are still in the race of glorifying crime news in the prime time.

Even minor crimes rec­eive media hype and they are repeatedly shown on news channels without realising the impact of such reports on people, it says, adding that licensees must realise that outreach of satellite TV channels is bey­ond territorial boundaries of Pakistan and they are wat­ched across the globe, hence, a negative perception is built about the country among international viewers due to such content.

The pattern of news presentation lacks understanding of psychological impact on human behaviour, it says, adding that this trend has echoed on various for­u­ms, including the Pemra’s complaint cell centre, particularly among parents who are demanding restriction on TV channels from back-to-back reporting/coverage of violence, crime, sex­ual abuse, terrorism, kidnapping, etc.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2018