ID :
144655
Sun, 10/03/2010 - 17:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/144655
The shortlink copeid
Gov't not to lift ban on Kashmiri news channels
Srinagar, India, Oct 3, IRNA -- Government in Kashmir Sunday flatly refused to lift the ban on local Kashmiri news channels, asking their staff to seek other means of livelihood.
In a blunt response to queries in this context, senior cabinet minister Taj Mohiuddin said that the ban on local news channels would not be revoked “as the situation in the Kashmir valley had worsened instead of improving because of them.”
“There is no question of lifting the ban,” the minister said. “The government was forced to take this step.”
On being reminded that such channels operating in Hindu majority Jammu had not been stopped by invoking the Cable Television Act as in Kashmir, the minister said: “The government will reconsider allowing such channels to continue in Jammu too in December.”
To a question on a large number of people having been made jobless by the government’s ban in Kashmir, he said:.”They must think of starting some private business of their own, for which the government can facilitate bank loans on low interest.”
Faced with an acute resource crunch over the past four months of unrest, major Srinagar dailies to are mulling laying off staff and slashing salaries, which could throw hundreds of media professionals out of jobs.
With advertisement revenue all but drying up in the current turmoil, the print media in Kashmir is facing a major crisis, and has begun distress measures to keep itself afloat.
Senior journalists say that newspapers had not been allowed to be published for 25 days during the past four months, and on many occasions, the police had seized copies right at the printing presses.
“It is not just newspaper owners who suffer losses, but everyone, right from hawkers to editors, is facing the squeeze,” they say.
Around 3 dozen news channels operating in Kashmir have more or less been wound up due to a government ban since Eid-ul-Fitr.
With the authorities firm on not revoking the ban, hundreds of professional, ranging from videographers, reporters, and technical and editorial staff, have become jobless.
Channel owners maintain that they had been operating in full compliance with rules and regulations, but the government had banned their transmissions while allowing such networks in Jammu to continue.
It is noteworthy that in the absence of local channels only news networks now available in Kashmir are those transmitted from New Delhi.
Earlier last month government baned Iran based Press TV. Later Al-Jazeera International too was taken off the air by the cable TV providers following a govt directive.
“Trying to maintain order should not be confused with preventing the media from working,” Reporters Without Borders said in a statement recently.
“The Jammu and Kashmir state authorities and the security forces that are enforcing the curfew are failing to consider the importance of the local media’s work, or else there is an undeclared intention to prevent Kashmir’s media from operating during the protests,” Paris based press freedom watchdog said./end
In a blunt response to queries in this context, senior cabinet minister Taj Mohiuddin said that the ban on local news channels would not be revoked “as the situation in the Kashmir valley had worsened instead of improving because of them.”
“There is no question of lifting the ban,” the minister said. “The government was forced to take this step.”
On being reminded that such channels operating in Hindu majority Jammu had not been stopped by invoking the Cable Television Act as in Kashmir, the minister said: “The government will reconsider allowing such channels to continue in Jammu too in December.”
To a question on a large number of people having been made jobless by the government’s ban in Kashmir, he said:.”They must think of starting some private business of their own, for which the government can facilitate bank loans on low interest.”
Faced with an acute resource crunch over the past four months of unrest, major Srinagar dailies to are mulling laying off staff and slashing salaries, which could throw hundreds of media professionals out of jobs.
With advertisement revenue all but drying up in the current turmoil, the print media in Kashmir is facing a major crisis, and has begun distress measures to keep itself afloat.
Senior journalists say that newspapers had not been allowed to be published for 25 days during the past four months, and on many occasions, the police had seized copies right at the printing presses.
“It is not just newspaper owners who suffer losses, but everyone, right from hawkers to editors, is facing the squeeze,” they say.
Around 3 dozen news channels operating in Kashmir have more or less been wound up due to a government ban since Eid-ul-Fitr.
With the authorities firm on not revoking the ban, hundreds of professional, ranging from videographers, reporters, and technical and editorial staff, have become jobless.
Channel owners maintain that they had been operating in full compliance with rules and regulations, but the government had banned their transmissions while allowing such networks in Jammu to continue.
It is noteworthy that in the absence of local channels only news networks now available in Kashmir are those transmitted from New Delhi.
Earlier last month government baned Iran based Press TV. Later Al-Jazeera International too was taken off the air by the cable TV providers following a govt directive.
“Trying to maintain order should not be confused with preventing the media from working,” Reporters Without Borders said in a statement recently.
“The Jammu and Kashmir state authorities and the security forces that are enforcing the curfew are failing to consider the importance of the local media’s work, or else there is an undeclared intention to prevent Kashmir’s media from operating during the protests,” Paris based press freedom watchdog said./end
