PEMRA suspends Neo-TV license for violating conditions

Zain Khalid

PEMRA suspends Neo-TV license

PEMRA suspends Neo-TV license for violating conditions. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Suspends Neo Tv with immediate effect for airing current affairs and news illegally.

The license issued by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to Neo was limited to entertainment programs. In the view of license, Neo Tv is an entertainment channel like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and others.

However, Neo Tv is showing news and represents itself to be a news channel.

Moreover, Neo Tv brings the PEMRA in the higher courts for issuance of their license. However, Islamabad High Court suspends channel’s plea and gives the decision against Neo tv and allow PEMRA to complete their legal procedures.

Although, it seems like injustice or harsh decision but when a channel calls itself a news channel illegally, this isn’t harsh. Although they have the license of fun and infotainment. Moreover, PEMRA never permit Neo Tv to air as Neo News.

Earlier, PEMRA directs channel’s management to stop violation of the license category by airing news and current affairs content in contrary to the terms and conditions.

Jobless Journalists and Workers

This creates a new challenge for journalists as the media industry is squeezing rapidly in Pakistan. Although, the media workers in the channel have no other job left, but the owners do have options.

Neo Tv is owned by Ch. Abdul Rehman who also owns the chain of colleges and universities. Superior Group of college is a famous educational chain in Punjab especially.

On the other hand, employees in Neo TV earn just few thousands and they will not get it anymore.

It is unknown who is responsible for leaving hundreds of workers jobless and helpless? It is either PEMRA or channel’s management. The channel was running as news tv since years. In the state of current medical emergency, the poverty rate is rising and on the same hand many people lost their job in a day.

Furthermore, it’s not the first time a TV channel is to shut down within a few hours. Earlier, AAP news went off-air within the notice of 30 minutes. No one knows how far it will go, it is useless to predict anything.

Although it proves that the one who’ll suffer are the workers. Owners do have many side businesses and they will survive.

Meanwhile, PEMRA gives the channel suitable time to revise their category of programs but they failed to listen to those warnings.

Due to non-compliance with the orders, the PEMRA has now suspended the license of Fun Infotainment Pvt Ltd i.e. Neo TV channel.

Visit their site: https://www.neonetwork.pk/