THE LAW ON TELEVISION COVERAGE OF SENSITIVE CONTENT IN PAKISTAN: A LEGAL INSIGHT

Abstract

Abstract
In Pakistan the war on terrorism has been fought at two fronts: the battleground and in media. In this case, television coverage of violence, conflict and religious matters becomes highly sensitive and media generated sensationalism, hype and ill-scrutinized use of User Generated Content (UGC) may lead to public panic and undermine security interests of the state. The diverse religious and ethnic sensibilities of Pakistanis make it incumbent on the media, especially the private sector, to play its role in promoting peace and harmony in the society and provide information that caters to public’s right to information while keeping in view legal and ethical requirements of acceptable television news content. This article seeks to address the content compliance issues associated with private television news from a regulatory perspective; a thorough scrutiny of the content delivered by Pakistan’s private TV Channels does not compromise either public’s right to information or the freedom of media.