TV channels prohibited from covering terrorist attacks in Pakistan: Report

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) prohibited news channels from covering terrorist attacks, Pakistan based The News International Newspaper reported. The directives came after an earlier order urging TV channels to adhere to the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015, the report said.

“It has been observed with grave concern that despite repeated directives satellite TV channels are unable to comply with provisions of the Electronic Media Code of Conduct-2015 in letter and spirit,” the notification stated. The regulatory body justified the decision saying that news channels resort to marathon transmission ignoring basic journalistic norms and ethics only to “take lead” and “credit” for breaking the news first.

Channels violate journalistic ethics by “airing live images of the crime scene”, the body said.