| 19-11-2007 SIFY
– INDIA Geo Super - the sports channel of the Geo group - has the rights for live telecast of Pakistan matches in India. But all channels of the group have been taken off air following the declaration of emergency in Pakistan. Jaipur Diary: Greg Chappell is still popular To partially meet cricket-crazy Pakistan's demands for action, PTV sent a correspondent to India midway through the five-match ODI series. But in the absence of live feed from India - private channels share the telecast with PTV for a fee - the correspondent is sending his written match reports and other despatches to the PTV. State-owned Pakistan Radio is broadcasting the running commentary of the matches through a makeshift arrangement. "Pakistan Radio has deputed a commentary team and they are commentating by watching the telecast from a South African television channel SuperSport," a Pakistani journalist said. "To recreate match atmosphere, including the crowd's shouting etc., for listeners, a microphone has been placed near a TV (set) as the commentators describe the game from the studios." Full Coverage: Pakistan in India 2007 Only a section of the masses in Pakistan have access to the ongoing cricket matches through dish antenna. The dish is legally showing the matches on SuperSport. Geo TV's Dubai station was closed down midnight Friday apparently on the intervention of Musharraf. However, Geo TV correspondents in India are hopeful that the government would soon allow the channel to resume cricket telecast. http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?id=14562782
NDTV,
India ''We have got options of moving out of our office here (in Dubai Media City). But that is all a big 'if'. We are in negotiations with the authorities here and we hope that a settlement will be reached soon,'' Dubai station head of Geo TV Imran Mir said on Sunday. Geo is one of the two private Pakistani channels that have been ordered to stop uplinking from Dubai their news programmes. The other is ARY TV. Geo TV has, in all, eight channels uplinking from its office at the Dubai Media City here. Geo News has three beams covering Pakistan, the Middle East, the US and Britain. All of Geo's channels in Pakistan have been blacked out, along with other private channels, since November 3 when President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency in the country. However, from Friday, two main channels, DAWN News and AAJ, were back on air, with AAJ announcing that two of its most popular talk shows, were suspended temporarily. Fate of its employees Asked what kind of options he has, Mir said, ''We have options within Asia.'' Mir said that Geo TV was losing out financially since the closure of the channel with the fate of its employees uncertain. The network's Dubai office staff, which is over 200 strong, have, however, continued to attend office as in normal conditions. ''Yes, all our staff members are attending office in their normal shifts,'' the station head said. The UAE authorities have stated that the country's neutral foreign policy and its positive and constructive role in international affairs are reasons behind taking the two Pakistani news channels off air. ''The UAE has been an advocate of international law and an active contributor to peace and stability in the region,'' Ibrahim Al-Abed, director general of UAE's National Media Council, said in a statement, while commenting on the decision taken by the Dubai Media City to close down the two channels. ''In the light of the current sensitive state of affairs in Pakistan, the UAE can only assume its responsibility and maintain its neutrality,'' the Emirates News Agency (WAM) quoted Al-Abed as saying. Foreign policy principles Executive director of Dubai Media City Amina Al Rustamani has said that Dubai Media City would observe the foreign policy principles of the country. ''As an entity within the UAE, Dubai Media City would also observe the broadcast principles of the country's foreign policy and prevent the telecast of news and material that would undermine those principles,'' she said while noting that Geo and ARY are respected business partners in Dubai Media City for several years. ''Our relationship with them has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them in regard to the telecast of their news components and we are confident we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE,'' she said. Meanwhile, Geo has continued to uplink its other entertainment and sports channels on the condition that it would not air any news or current affairs programmes on these channels. Its sports channel, Geo Super, is airing the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket series. ''We are uplinking the cricket series from here. This is available to viewers across the world, except Pakistan where all cable networks have been blacked out, on the dish platform,'' Mir said. http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070033255&ch THE
HINDU - INDIA Dubai (PTI): GEO TV, Pakistan's top private news channel, which was shut down due to "pressure" on the UAE government from the military regime in Islamabad, may move out of Dubai if a settlement is not reached with regard to the disruption in transmission from here. Imran Mir, station manager for Geo TV said the news channel will consider moving out of Dubai if a settlement is not reached with regard to the disruption in the transmission from the Dubai Media City. "We are losing a lot of money while being off air. So we're considering alternative arrangements in Asia in case this issue is not resolved," Mir told PTI without divulging on the plans. Talk are on between the Pakistani TV channels -- GEO and ARY TV - which were banned from telecasting programmes from Dubai on Friday midnight -- to resolve the issue, sources here said. However, an official said that talks are yet to result in a concrete accord. Mir noted that millions of Urdu-speaking viewers in South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America would be adversely affected and that the channel could not remain off air indefinitely. "We have a staff of 200 people here. They will be jobless if this continues," he said, adding that the correspondents were working. He said the TV network had been under pressure from the Pakistani government to tone down its criticism of the government. The network approached DMC volunteering to move operations out of its current headquarters in Dubai. "We asked for a one month notice," he said. Both channels have refused to abide by a new media code issued by the Pakistan government after General Musharraf imposed emergency rule on November 3. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200711181862.htm THE
HINDU Geo TV anchor Shahid Masood expressed cautious optimism that the ongoing talks could yield a satisfactory result. "I am hopeful about our talks. At this moment, I can say that there is 50-50 chance that the situation might be normalised soon," he told The Hindu. Apart from Geo TV, news operations of ARY One World — another Pakistani channel headquartered in Dubai were abruptly stopped on midnight Friday, UAE time. Geo TV said on its website that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had "put tremendous pressure to silence a media outlet which had refused to bow down to his dictates." A senior official from the UAE government confirmed that talks with representatives of the channels had commenced. Sources in the networks said that at the moment, representatives of Dubai media city, from where the two channels had been operating, were involved in the dialogue. On Friday, Director General of the National Media Council, Ibrahim Al-Abed, linked the closure of the two channels to UAE's foreign policy. Mr. Al -Abed pointed out that "the UAE has been an advocate of international law and an active contributor to peace and stability in the region." He added, "In the light of the current sensitive state of affairs in Pakistan, the UAE can only assume its responsibility and maintain its neutrality." Dr. Masood pointed out that since there was a "political component" that led to the shutdown, it is likely that discussions might involve representatives of the UAE Federal government before the problem can be resolved. So far, talks have revolved around the reasons which resulted in the closure, the sources said. Besides, representatives of the channels are seeking a clearer enunciation of the "ground rules" which they need to follow in their broadcasts, so that they can carry out their operations uninterrupted in the future. http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/19/stories/2007111955401500.htm MEDIA
NEWSLINE The only platform left with the closed TV network, after its transmission was snapped, is the website (www.geo.tv) . Geo TV website is getting huge traffic from all corners of the world and media freedom lovers are typing tons of responses to the clarion call made by the media group. The overwhelming response has forced the Geo team to run a text version of their website and the regular interface has been discontinued to manage the huge web traffic. 'Due to enormously heavy traffic on Geo TV website we are presenting light text-version to provide the latest news updates in chronological order. The full version of the website will be available to all our visitors very soon' a Geo TV release said. Geo TV's appeal has garnered a worldwide support from the thinkers, readers and media persons. People are writing blogs , posting poignant comments and have criticised General Musharaf for putting curbs on media freedom. 'I was shocked to hear that Geo is targeted by the self proclaimed General and President. By stopping the GEO transmission he showed his personal hatred not against GEO but against whole of the nation'said Ahmed , a Geo viewer from UK .
'Geo was shut down due to "pressure" on the UAE government from the military regime in Islamabad .We may move out of Dubai if a settlement is not reached with regard to the disruption in transmission from here .We have a staff of 200 people here. They will be jobless if this continues' Imran Mir, Station Manager , Geo TV said . Geo TV was established in May 2002 and officially began transmission in October 2002.It has been rated as the third most watched channel in Pakistan . Geo News had earlier shifted its main operations to Dubai in 2005 following the restrictions on the media by President Pervez Musharraf. http://www.medianewsline.com/news/118/ARTICLE/1687/2007-11-18.html THE
CANADIAN PRESS Geo TV has broadcast from Dubai since 2002 precisely to avoid the periodic crackdowns on media, such as the one just instituted by Gen. Pervez Musharraf when he declared a state of emergency Nov. 3. "It was on short notice, just two hours before, from a Dubai Media City official who said that transmission has to stop at midnight," said Shahid Massood, Geo Group executive director in Dubai. "I was the last voice our viewers heard yesterday - 15 minutes before blackout, I went on air and informed viewers about this sad moment in media history in Pakistan," he added. Massood attributed the decision to close his TV by the government-owned Dubai Media City, which hosts dozens of media organizations. "The pressure was so intense from Gen. Musharraf," he said. "It's an unfortunate moment in Pakistan's history, especially considering the country is in such turmoil." Dubai government officials as well as those from the Dubai Media City could not be reached for comment, but the code of the media city prohibits organizations it hosts to interfere with the politics of another country. The Paris-based media rights group Reporters Without Borders urged the ruler of Dubai to rescind the decision to shut the TV "in the name of press freedom and free enterprise." "Pressure by Gen. Musharraf, a notorious press freedom predator, on the Dubai authorities constitutes outrageous interference," the group said in a statement. It said a second Pakistani TV, Ary One World, had also been ordered to close in Dubai. http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5igbrabvDAUrn1kbveIBFUPu3NaZQ THE
HINDU – INDIA "The channel is talking to the Dubai authorities as well as back in Pakistan for restarting the programmes," said Shahid Masood, Group Executive Director of Dubai-based GEO TV told PTI. Earlier the channel refused to sign a government code of conduct under the emergency rule. Hoping that the channel will be back in operation soon, Masood said: "our other entertainment and sports channels have been allowed to operate but on the condition that we do not show any news or current affairs programmes on these channels." When asked whether they were looking at alternative avenues for broadcasting its news programmes, Masood said "all options are available". The channel, along with ARY channel, was told by the local authorities that they will not be able to beam programmes from midnight UAE time (Friday). Officials of both the channels said the Pakistan government had influenced authorities in the UAE to shut down their broadcasts from the Dubai Media City. Masood said apart from the news channel, GEO Super which had won the India-Pakistan cricket series broadcasting rights is also not seen. "People in Pakistan are unable to watch the matches because of this action." There are 200 people working for the channel in Dubai and it was work as usual for them, said Masood, adding that all of them were dejected after the channel stopped working. "I myself is very depressed since it is the first time a Pakistani channel could not be seen its own country. It is different matter if you want to ban channels from another country," he said. News anchors came on Geo News around midnight Pakistan time to announce that their channel had been ordered to go off the air as result of the continued deadlock between the Pakistani authorities and the media channels, following the imposition of the emergency in the country. "I am perhaps only presenter who had to announce the shutting down of the channel," he added. GEO TV has, in all, eight channels up-linking from its offices at the Dubai Media City since 2002 and has three beams covering Pakistan, the Middle East and the US and Britain. In Pakistan all GEO channels were blocked by the military regime after the imposition of the emergency but on Friday two main channels, DAWN News and AAJ were back on air, with AAJ announcing that two its most popular talks shows, hosted by Talat Hussain, Nusrat Javeed and Mushtaq Mihas, were suspended temporarily. "Geo News was shut down because it had refused to budge. After six years of objective and highly professional elecasts, which earned the channel the honour of being the most popular TV channel, the Government of Pakistan put it off the air on Nov 4 after emergency was imposed," he added. Its role in the judicial crisis, which started on March 9, when the President filed a reference against the Chief Justice, was highly applauded, domestically and internationally. Sources said the government first asked the Geo officials to stop the most popular programmes of popular TV hosts Shahid Masood, Hamid Mir and Kamran Khan without offering any tangible reason why they should be stopped. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200711172176.htm David's
Media Agency Warsaw, Poland Here
is a translation of Faiz's poem "Bol" that we posted today: Countrywide
protest against closure of Geo News in Pakistan Responding to a call, given by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) and the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), hundreds of protestors participated in the demonstrations against the government for shutting down the transmission. Speakers termed the closure of Geo TV and another channel as the economic murder of hundreds of journalists and other staff. Hamid Mir, Executive Editor of the Geo News, said the state security agencies were coercing the media men through various tactics. On the other hand, the government was pressurising the independent media with the help of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and PEMRA. Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors Council (CPNE) have also noted with alarm the rapidly deteriorating environment of freedom of expression and freedom of press in Pakistan. The APNS and the CPNE in a joint statement have said that the recent taking off the air of Geo and ARY news channels by the Dubai Government is viewed by all parts of the press, as a serious blow to any hopes for improvement in the situation. The joint statement stated that the single most important step that needs to be taken today by the government is an urgent restoration of all television news channels in Pakistan. The APNS and the CPNE are firmly of the view that freedom of the print media cannot be separated from the freedom of expression within the electronic media. Since the same groups of editors and journalists comprise the work force of the entire press any blow sustained by a part of the press will cause irreparable damage to the rest of the media, The News reported. RIUJ President Afzal Butt said after placing restriction on the print media, now the government has started to shut down the electronic media. "But journalists will not allow the government to shut down the TV channels and impose curbs on the media through censorship, " he added. The protesters said that on the one hand the government was claiming to be a champion of freedom of expression, but on the other, independent TV channels were being banned. The
Association of TV Journalists secretary announced that a 'candlelit
protest demo' will be held outside the Geo offices on Monday. Journalists
resent news channels blackout The protesters gathered in front of the GEO Television office and shouted slogans against President General Pervez Musharraf for shutting down the two channels, GEO and ARY. These and other news channels were put off air in Pakistan by cable operators on November 3 when the president imposed emergency in the country. This was possibly for the first time in Pakistan that journalists held protests for so long - it went on for four hours. Holding placards, banners and waving black flags, they shouted, "Your show is over Musharraf, go Musharraf go". Protesters also took a dig at Musharraf's perceived proximity with the United States. A placard held by a journalist read, "Bye bye Busharraf". Another read: "Negroponte Out", referring to US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte who yesterday called on Musharraf to discuss the political situation in Pakistan. Media
curbs On Thursday, the government allowed two international and two national news channels to telecast through cable in the country while on Friday midnight it completely shut down operations of ARY and GEO channels. The two television networks, operating from ground stations in Dubai, were asked by officials to suspend their transmissions by Friday midnight. The managements of the two blacked out channels said they were simply asked by the UAE authorities to shut down their operations midnight Friday. "No reason was given to our office in Dubai for shutting down the channel, but the orders were served," GEO TV senior editor Ghazi Salahuddin said. Well-known GEO TV anchor Hamid Mir said they would continue to protest until their channel was back on air. The journalists would not compromise with the government and would not take any diktats. "We are an independent media outlet and would continue to act according to our conscience," Mir said. There were no negotiations with the government, he added. The GEO TV management will organise a protest rally tomorrow from its office in Rawalpindi to Constitution Avenue in Islamabad. REPORTERS
WITHOUT BORDERS Reporters Without Borders is shocked by the complete interruption in Dubai of the broadcasts of two Pakistani TV stations, Geo News and Ary One World, which have offices in Dubai. Geo News said the decision was preceded by constant pressure on the Dubai authorities from President Pervez Musharraf. The press freedom organisation calls on the emir of Dubai not to bow to the pressure and to allow the two station to resume broadcasting. "Pressure by Gen. Musharraf, a notorious press freedom predator, on the Dubai authorities constitutes outrageous interference," Reporters Without Borders said. "Not content with silencing Geo TV and Ary One in Pakistan, he has gone so far as to get a foreign government to suspend the two stations. We urge the emir of Dubai, in the name of press freedom and free enterprise, to rescind this decision at once. We also extend our support to the staff of the two stations." Satellite reception of Geo News and Ary One World was terminated at 1 a.m. today in Dubai after the authorities effectively forbid the stations to broadcast. Hamid Mir of Geo News told Reporters Without Borders that, late yesterday, the emirate's authorities gave the station two hours to stop broadcasting, without offering any explanation. The staff of both stations blame the action of Dubai's authorities on President Musharraf, who has been pressuring the government to do this since declaring a state of emergency in Pakistan on 3 November. Reporters Without Borders defends imprisoned journalists and press freedom throughout the world. It has nine national sections (Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). It has representatives in Bangkok, London, New York, Tokyo and Washington. And it has more than 120 correspondents worldwide. http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/694
Threat
to end Bhutto amnesty, says report The country's attorney-general has told The Sunday Times that a government amnesty lifting the charges - which enabled Bhutto to return to the country last month - was legally invalid and is likely to be overturned. Five writs have been issued against it in the Supreme Court. "I don't think it will survive the challenge," said Malik Muhammad Qayyum. "Whoever drafted it, it was not happily worded. Only the courts can decide to throw charges out, not governments." The threat, which allies of General Pervez Musharraf are encouraging him to use against Bhutto, comes as Pakistan's military ruler faces mounting domestic and international pressure over the state of emergency that he imposed 15 days ago. Bhutto has convened a meeting of opposition leaders at her Karachi home on Wednesday to discuss boycotting the elections set for January and launching a nationwide street movement for the restoration of democracy. "I'm reaching out because we need to put together a coalition of interests," she said yesterday. However, any such strategy is hampered by years of mistrust between the parties, the arrest of leaders such as Imran Khan and the heavy-handed crackdown by police on any attempts at protest. The international community has also stepped up its pressure with a visit to Islamabad by John Negroponte, US deputy secretary of state, who delivered what US officials described as "a strong message", urging Musharraf to lift the state of emergency. He also expressed US concern over the dismissal of the chief justice and other Supreme Court judges and the arrest of more than 3,000 lawyers and activists. Bhutto claims the numbers are higher and that 12,000 members of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP) have been locked up. Last night Bhutto accused the West of continuing to bail out Musharraf: "Even though the people of Pakistan have risen up, our media have been shut down, judges and lawyers are behind bars, yet still the international community is reluctant to let go of General Musharraf. It's time they looked to the wishes of 160m people rather than just one man." She added that she had told Negroponte in a phone call on Friday night that negotiations with Musharraf were "no longer on the table". She added: "I said to him that as far as we were concerned we had a road map towards democracy and suddenly found ourselves on a road leading back to dictatorship." Bhutto
had been released from house arrest in Lahore on the eve of Negroponte's
arrival on Friday. Musharraf also allowed some private TV channels
back on air but two of the biggest, Geo and ARY One World, both
based in Dubai, were shut down again yesterday. "I don't take ultimatums from anyone," he declared in a series of interviews he gave to seize back the initiative from Bhutto. In what is degenerating into a poker game, with Musharraf, Bhutto and the United States all trying to outguess each other, it is not clear who holds the strongest cards. Pakistan would not like to lose US aid, which has amounted to £4.9bn over the past five years, much of it going to the army. As a former commando used to war-gaming his adversaries, Musharraf is banking on the belief that the United States needs him more than vice versa. In a clear reminder to Washington that they are not the only ones able to make threats, Musharraf warned that akistan's nuclear arsenal was safe only while in the hands of the military. Those close to Musharraf insist that he truly believes that he is doing his best for the country and cannot understand western criticism. At a ceremony on Thursday to dissolve parliament ready for the elections, he said: "I take pride in the fact that, being a man in uniform, I have actually introduced the essence of democracy in Pakistan." He added sourly: "Whether anyone believes it or not." Ironically it was the first time in Pakistan's history that a parliament had completed its full five-year term, even if it was under a military ruler. The Pakistan post office issued a commemorative stamp showing the parliament building, although without the barricades now in front of it. TIMES
NOW In what might come as a major relief to the Pakistan media, a day after Pakistan's two leading news channels -- Geo TV and Ary TV -- were blacked out in Pakistan and Dubai at the behest of President Musharraf, its learnt that the UAE officials are considering allowing the channels to resume their transmission in the country. The UAE authorities have said that they are considering whether to resume transmission by -- Geo and Ary, which were shut down following "pressure" from Islamabad. Independent broadcasters -- Geo TV and Ary TV -- had received a jolt on Saturday (Nov 17), when their channels were blacked out in Dubai, a move that drew worldwide condemnation resulting in protests from the media community. While officials of both Geo and Ary channels had alleged that the Pakistan government had influenced authorities in the UAE to shut down their broadcasts from the government-owned Dubai Media City, which hosts dozens of media organizations. The Executive Director of Dubai Media City, where the 2 channels are based, said that talks are on to resume transmission of the channels. "Our relationship with Geo and Ary has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them with regard to the telecast of their news components and we are confident that we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE," said ED, Dubai Media City. http://www.timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=4349 MANGALOREAN 'Pakistani
channels blacked out in tune with foreign policy' "The UAE has been an advocate of international law and an active contributor to peace and stability in the region," Ibrahim Al-Abed, director general of UAE's National Media Council, said in a statement while commenting on the decision taken by the Dubai Media City to close down the two channels. The two television networks, operating from ground stations in Dubai, were asked to suspend their transmissions by midnight Friday. GEO TV has eight channels uplinking from its offices at Dubai Media City. Geo News has three beams covering Pakistan, the Middle East and the US and Britain. Its other entertainment and sports channels have been allowed to operate but on the condition that they do not show any news or current affairs programmes. "In the light of the current sensitive state of affairs in Pakistan, the UAE can only assume its responsibility and maintain its neutrality," Al-Abed stated, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). Private television news channels in Pakistan have been blacked out since Nov 3 when President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency in the country. However, from Friday, two channels -- DAWN News and AAJ -- were back on air, with AAJ announcing that two of its most popular talk shows were suspended temporarily. Meanwhile, executive director of Dubai Media City Amina Al Rustamani has said it would observe the foreign policy of the country. "As an entity within the UAE, Dubai Media City would also observe the broadcast principles of the country's foreign policy and prevent the telecast of news and material that would undermine those principles," she said while noting that Geo and ARY are respected business partners in Dubai Media City for several years. "Our relationship with them has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them in regard to the telecast of their news components and are confident we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE," she said. http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=58510# Geo
TV hints at options outside of Dubai "We have got options of moving out of our office here (in Dubai Media City). But that is all a big 'if'. We are in negotiations with the authorities here and we hope that a settlement will be reached soon," Dubai station head of Geo TV Imran Mir told IANS Sunday. Geo is one of the two private Pakistani channels that have been ordered to stop uplinking from Dubai their news programmes. The other is ARY TV. Geo TV has, in all, eight channels uplinking from its office at the Dubai Media City here. Geo News has three beams covering Pakistan, the Middle East, the US and Britain. All of Geo's channels in Pakistan have been blacked out, along with other private channels, since Nov 3 when President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency in the country. However, from Friday, two main channels, DAWN News and AAJ, were back on air, with AAJ announcing that two of its most popular talk shows, were suspended temporarily. Asked what kind of options he has, Mir said, "We have options within Asia." Mir said that Geo TV was losing out financially since the closure of the channel with the fate of its employees uncertain. The network's Dubai office staff, which is over 200 strong, have, however, continued to attend office as in normal conditions. "Yes, all our staff members are attending office in their normal shifts," the station head said. The UAE authorities have stated that the country's neutral foreign policy and its positive and constructive role in international affairs are reasons behind taking the two Pakistani news channels off air. "The UAE has been an advocate of international law and an active contributor to peace and stability in the region," Ibrahim Al-Abed, director general of UAE's National Media Council, said in a statement, while commenting on the decision taken by the Dubai Media City to close down the two channels. "In the light of the current sensitive state of affairs in Pakistan, the UAE can only assume its responsibility and maintain its neutrality," the Emirates News Agency (WAM) quoted Al-Abed as saying. Executive director of Dubai Media City Amina Al Rustamani has said that Dubai Media City would observe the foreign policy principles of the country. "As an entity within the UAE, Dubai Media City would also observe the broadcast principles of the country's foreign policy and prevent the telecast of news and material that would undermine those principles," she said while noting that Geo and ARY are respected business partners in Dubai Media City for several years. "Our relationship with them has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them in regard to the telecast of their news components and we are confident we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE," she said. Meanwhile, Geo has continued to uplink its other entertainment and sports channels on the condition that it would not air any news or current affairs programmes on these channels. Its sports channel, Geo Super, is airing the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket series. "We are uplinking the cricket series from here. This is available to viewers across the world, except Pakistan where all cable networks have been blacked out, on the dish platform," Mir said. http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=58503# UDAYAVANI
– KARANTAKA'S DAILY Dubai, : UAE authorities on Sunday said they were considering whether to allow two leading Pakistani news channels, which were shut down following "pressure" from Islamabad, to resume their transmission. The two news channels, Geo and ARY, which were broadcasting from Dubai after refusing to sign a government code of conduct under the emergency rule, were shut down on Sunday due to "pressure" from the military regime. Amina AlRustamani, Executive Director of Dubai Media City, where the two channels are based, said talks are on to resume transmission of the channels, "Our relationship with them (Geo and ART) has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them in regard to the telecast of their news components and we are confident we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE," she added. Officials of both Geo and ARY channels said the Pakistan government had influenced authorities in the UAE to shut down their broadcasts from the Dubai Media City. Their programming went off the air at about 1 am Pakistani time after the UAE's information ministry directed them to cease satellite and internet broadcasts. Reacting to worldwide criticism to the closure of the two channels in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates has said the country's neutrality has been a key principal of its foreign policy. Ibrahim Al-Abed, director general of National Media Council, said the UAE has always played a positive and constructive role in international affairs, and neutrality has been a key principal of its foreign policy. Commenting over closure decision of GEO and ARY TV stations taken by Dubai Media City, he said that "the UAE has been an advocate of international law and an active contributor to peace and stability in the region". "In the light of the current sensitive state of affairs in Pakistan, the UAE can only assume its responsibility and maintain its neutrality," he was quoted as saying in a report carried out by UAEs Emirates news agency. Officials of both Geo and ARY channels said the Pakistan government had influenced authorities in the UAE to shut down their broadcasts from the Dubai Media City. Their programming went off the air at about 1 am Pakistani time after the UAE's information ministry directed them to cease satellite and internet broadcasts. Like all other foreign and Pakistani TV news channels, Geo and ARY were taken off cable networks shortly after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency on November 3. However, they could be accessed via satellite or on the internet and became popular sources of independent information about the emergency rule. http://68.178.224.54/udayavani/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=470015&lang=1 GULF
TIMES, UAE Journalists
protest against a crackdown on the media during emergency rule,
in Multan yesterday "We have got options of moving out of our office here (in Dubai Media City). But that is all a big 'if'. We are in negotiations with the authorities here and we hope that a settlement will be reached soon," Dubai station head of Geo TV Imran Mir said yesterday. Geo is one of the two private Pakistani channels that have been ordered to stop uplinking from Dubai their news programmes. The other is ARY TV. Geo TV has, in all, eight channels uplinking from its office at the Dubai Media City here. Geo News has three beams covering Pakistan, the Middle East, the US and Britain. All of Geo's channels in Pakistan have been blacked out, along with other private channels, since November 3 when President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency in the country. However, from Friday, two main channels, DAWN News and AAJ, were back on air, with AAJ announcing that two of its most popular talk shows, were suspended temporarily. Asked what kind of options he has, Mir said, "We have options within Asia." Mir said that Geo TV was losing out financially since the closure of the channel with the fate of its employees uncertain. The network's Dubai office staff, which is over 200 strong, have, however, continued to attend office as in normal conditions. "Yes, all our staff members are attending office in their normal shifts," the station head said. The UAE authorities have stated that the country's neutral foreign policy and its positive and constructive role in international affairs are reasons behind taking the two Pakistani news channels off air. "The UAE has been an advocate of international law and an active contributor to peace and stability in the region," Ibrahim Al-Abed, director general of UAE's National Media Council, said in a statement, while commenting on the decision taken by the Dubai Media City to close down the two channels. "In the light of the current sensitive state of affairs in Pakistan, the UAE can only assume its responsibility and maintain its neutrality," the Emirates News Agency (WAM) quoted Al Abed as saying. Executive director of Dubai Media City Amina Al Rustamani has said that Dubai Media City would observe the foreign policy principles of the country. "As an entity within the UAE, Dubai Media City would also observe the broadcast principles of the country's foreign policy and prevent the telecast of news and material that would undermine those principles," she said while noting that Geo and ARY are respected business partners in Dubai Media City for several years. "Our relationship with them has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them in regard to the telecast of their news components and we are confident we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE," she said. Meanwhile, Geo has continued to uplink its other entertainment and sports channels on the condition that it would not air any news or current affairs programmes on these channels. Its sports channel, Geo Super, is airing the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket series. "We are uplinking the cricket series from here. This is available to viewers across the world, except Pakistan where all cable networks have been blacked out, on the dish platform," Mir said. - Agencies INDIA
MUSLIMS "The UAE has been an advocate of international law and an active contributor to peace and stability in the region," Ibrahim Al-Abed, director general of UAE's National Media Council, said in a statement while commenting on the decision taken by the Dubai Media City to close down the two channels. The two television networks, operating from ground stations in Dubai, were asked to suspend their transmissions by midnight Friday. GEO TV has eight channels uplinking from its offices at Dubai Media City. Geo News has three beams covering Pakistan, the Middle East and the US and Britain. Its other entertainment and sports channels have been allowed to operate but on the condition that they do not show any news or current affairs programmes. "In the light of the current sensitive state of affairs in Pakistan, the UAE can only assume its responsibility and maintain its neutrality," Al-Abed stated, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). Private television news channels in Pakistan have been blacked out since Nov 3 when President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency in the country. However, from Friday, two channels -- DAWN News and AAJ -- were back on air, with AAJ announcing that two of its most popular talk shows were suspended temporarily. Meanwhile, executive director of Dubai Media City Amina Al Rustamani has said it would observe the foreign policy of the country. "As an entity within the UAE, Dubai Media City would also observe the broadcast principles of the country's foreign policy and prevent the telecast of news and material that would undermine those principles," she said while noting that Geo and ARY are respected business partners in Dubai Media City for several years. "Our relationship with them has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them in regard to the telecast of their news components and are confident we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE," she said. ZEE
NEWS, INDIA "The channel is talking to the Dubai authorities as well as back in Pakistan for restarting the programmes," said Shahid Masood, group Executive Director of Dubai-based Geo TV said. Earlier the channel refused to sign a government code of conduct under the emergency rule. Hoping that the channel will be back in operation soon, Masood said: "our other entertainment and sports channels have been allowed to operate but on the condition that we do not show any news or current affairs programmes on these channels." When asked whether they were looking at alternative avenues for broadcasting its news programmes, Masood said, "All options are available". The channel, along with ARY channel, was told by the local authorities that they will not be able to beam programmes from midnight UAE time (Friday). Officials of both the channels said the Pakistan government had influenced authorities in the UAE to shut down their broadcasts from the Dubai media city. Masood said apart from the news channel, Geo Super, which had won the India-Pakistan cricket series broadcasting rights is also not seen. "People in Pakistan are unable to watch the matches because of this action." There are 200 people working for the channel in Dubai and it was work as usual for them, said Masood, adding that all of them were dejected after the channel stopped working. "I myself is very depressed since it is the first time a Pakistani channel could not be seen its own country. It is different matter if you want to ban channels from another country," he said. News anchors came on geo news around midnight Pakistan time to announce that their channel had been ordered to go off the air as result of the continued deadlock between the Pakistani authorities and the media channels, following the imposition of the emergency in the country. "I am perhaps only presenter who had to announce the shutting down of the channel," he added. Geo TV has, in all, eight channels up-linking from its offices at the Dubai Media City since 2002 and has three beams covering Pakistan, the middle east and the US and Britain. In Pakistan all Geo channels were blocked by the military regime after the imposition of the emergency but on Friday two main channels, Dawn News and Aaj were back on air, with Aaj announcing that two its most popular talks shows, hosted by Talat Hussain, Nusrat Javeed and Mushtaq Mihas, were suspended temporarily. "Geo news was shut down because it had refused to budge. After six years of objective and highly professional telecasts, which earned the channel the honour of being the most popular TV channel, the government of Pakistan put it off the air on November 4 after emergency was imposed," he added. Its role in the judicial crisis, which started on March 9, when the President filed a reference against the Chief Justice, was highly applauded, domestically and internationally. Sources said the government first asked the geo officials to stop the most popular programmes of popular TV hosts Shahid Masood, Hamid Mir and Kamran Khan without offering any tangible reason why they should be stopped. Bureau Report http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?rep=2&aid=407967&sid=SAS&sname =
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