Aaj TV blacked out again!

[Proud to be Pakistani]

Aaj TV blacked out again

ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday took off air for a second time a private news network known for its independence, a network official said, despite assurances by President Pervez Musharraf to his allies that he would uphold media freedom.

AaJ television suddenly vanished from cable networks in Islamabad and several other cities late Wednesday as it aired a popular politics and current affairs talk show, Islamabad bureau chief for the network Tariq Chaudhry told AFP. “We were not informed by any authority, nor did they warn us before this unannounced blackout,” Chaudhry said.

Musharraf shut down private news channels after he imposed emergency rule in November and only allowed those who signed a code of conduct under new media laws to operate again.

The emergency rule was lifted in December, but many news channels remained off air for weeks and months. No government official was immediately available to comment on the fresh restrictions. afp

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

[solid snake]

It's amazing how the government in Pakistan can take authoritarian measures like this. Isn't it illegal to shutdown a perfectly law abiding organization for no other reason except that it is not liked by the government? Aren't there any laws in Pakistan?

The Western media will pounce upon this like vultures. Musharraf has made a very bad move. If a democrat US president is elected Mushy is a gonner.

[Proud to be Pakistani]

Ha Ha Ha for Democrate President of Yours!

[solid snake]

Originally Posted by Proud to be Pakistani

Ha Ha Ha for Democrate President of Yours!

You doubt me? Here is the USA's most likely next President. She called Pakistan "an unreliable partner". And hear what she says about Mushy.

YouTube - Hillary flubs Pakistan

Actions like banning free media is the kinds of excuses American democrats use to put sanctions on countries. While every Republican candidate has said they will work with Musharraf. John McCain personally knows Mushy.

[Proud to be Pakistani]

Doesn't matter what they say in the campaign for Presidential elections.

The US doesnot change its foreign policies in a glitch of Ruling change!

[HAIDER]

I think big changes are coming in TV channel. Aaj is going to be launched on 6th in West and US, plus Aag too. All Pakistani channels were down last nite number of time. I think some set up changing is going on.

[Energon]

I honestly do not know why Musharraf orders these types of moves considering they do more harm than good for his administration. He has essentially set off a competition between every non governmental media outlet in Pakistan to see who can upset him the most and subsequently gain a "Robin Hood" outlaw status.

He would be so much better off just ignoring them.

[blain2]

Originally Posted by Energon

I honestly do not know why Musharraf orders these types of moves considering they do more harm than good for his administration. He has essentially set off a competition between every non governmental media outlet in Pakistan to see who can upset him the most and subsequently gain a "Robin Hood" outlaw status.

He would be so much better off just ignoring them.

Depends on what the cause of the shutdown is. Not everyone is being responsible in Pakistan...I can't say if AAJ deserved it or not since I do not know the reason, but in the past, they have done some pretty weird things in terms of reporting.

BTW, muzzling of media has been done all over Pakistan's neighborhood including in India. Its part of the media evolution in the region...until there is a happy medium and comfort with the level of reporting, freedom and responsibility, this tussle will go on.

[Energon]

^^ Ever since independent media entered India (around 1991), I don't remember a single incident where there was centrally orchestrated national blackout. There have been incidents where certain politicians/political parties shut down local cable distributors in their city/district; but nothing nationwide. The best example is the recent Ahmedabad blackout orchestrated by Modi's thugs. What is interesting to observe is that even here, it seems to have damaged the positions of the perpetrators even further.

I don't think one can really draw comparisons between Pakistan and India in this case since the entire independent media set up seems to be radically different.

Currently in Musharraf's case, this whole thing has snowballed into an international affair. Funnily enough, everyone outside Pakistan was fairly oblivious about what was being said/written/shown in the Pakistani press; it didn't become an issue until Musharraf kicked off an agitative movement by shutting some of the media outlets down.

[MastanKhan]

Energon,

America cannot be holier than thou all the time. The u s media is so much muzzled and censored that it is beyond belief. The only problem is that people don't realize it is that there is only one source to get the news and that is through CNN, foxnews, ABC, NBC, CBS and they all have news that falls within a certain parameters. Try talking against the israelis / jews---.

Any u s politician coming on tv saying it is justified to commit suicide attack against the govt because David Koresh and all his family was burnt down by the law enforcement agy's. Any politician instigating rioting against the sitting govt---anybody doing these things here in the u s!!! It is a daily thing on pakistani tv channels.

[Flintlock]

^^Mastan Khan, it is impossible to muzzle the media in the US. Everything that is newsworthy can be found in the media, if one is inclined to look deep enough.

What you are refering to is not "muzzling", but distraction. Perhaps some mainstream media channels like Fox do have an agenda. Since most Americans watch Fox news, they simply don't get the right information....however if they care to find out, the information is out there on the thousands of other sources...

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

The u s media is not muzzled by the govt persay---but by their executives. They will not televise or print certain type of news items if they can get away with it---news items that don't meet their ideology---you can call it selective reporting---.

In the early 90's I lived in Redondo Beach Calif and worked in the city of Torrance---a black person driving through the city would be pulled over by the cops and asked what were they doing in the neighbourhood---any news related to violence,robberies would not be printed---as if it didnot happen----was it muzzling the media----no----because the higher ups in the news agencies lived in Redondo Beach and neighbouring areas and didnot want to tarnish the image. This is just a small example at local elevl---as the news intensity increases and national security issues and national image comes into force, the release of the news may get controlled based upon the ideology on the news network.

As is the case with the americans is that quite a few of them watch their favourite news channel.

So, instead of " MUZZLE " should I have used the term selective reporting---yes, I should have---but then you can use certain terms to get the attention of the reader so that you can point across and then can later make a clarification.

[MOSABJA]

Lol I think its just a crap


AAJ TV is running on my TV.I watch LIVE WITH TALAT

[blain2]

Originally Posted by Energon

^^ Ever since independent media entered India (around 1991), I don't remember a single incident where there was centrally orchestrated national blackout. There have been incidents where certain politicians/political parties shut down local cable distributors in their city/district; but nothing nationwide. The best example is the recent Ahmedabad blackout orchestrated by Modi's thugs. What is interesting to observe is that even here, it seems to have damaged the positions of the perpetrators even further.

I don't think one can really draw comparisons between Pakistan and India in this case since the entire independent media set up seems to be radically different.

Currently in Musharraf's case, this whole thing has snowballed into an international affair. Funnily enough, everyone outside Pakistan was fairly oblivious about what was being said/written/shown in the Pakistani press; it didn't become an issue until Musharraf kicked off an agitative movement by shutting some of the media outlets down.

So why are you limiting yourself to just 1991? During the multiple states of emergency in India, (last one in Indra Gandhi's time), curbs were put on the press. This has happened all over South Asia.

I am not disagreeing that in certain cases, Musharraf could have just let it go, however the reality is that the freedom of press has been exploited by some and it has hurt Pakistan.

[Energon]

Originally Posted by blain2

So why are you limiting yourself to just 1991? During the multiple states of emergency in India, (last one in Indra Gandhi's time), curbs were put on the press. This has happened all over South Asia.

Up until 1991, the media outlets were completely controlled by the state and hence cannot be compared with the independent media sources like Geo, Aaj or what have you; at least in the scope of this discussion.
Also, Indira Gandhi's attempts at curbing down on the media resulted in an even higher decentralization of the press and an exponentially higher rate of antagonizing which eventually led to the downfall of her government.

Originally Posted by blain2

I am not disagreeing that in certain cases, Musharraf could have just let it go, however the reality is that the freedom of press has been exploited by some and it has hurt Pakistan.

I think the spotlight that has been brought upon Musharraf and Pakistan on account of these press crackdowns has been just as bad if not worse. It has made Musharraf look like a tin star general in charge of a banana republic. He would have been much better off just leaving these people alone. Eventually there would be nothing new to report and the generalized apathy would come right back.