SC orders rating firms to register with PEMRA

ISLAMABAD : The apex court has ordered all the rating companies to get registered with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) in three days and to submit their data on a daily basis.

A full bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, on Thursday ordered Pemra to update data on rating of TV channels daily on its website.

The bench noted that advertisers will be authorised to release advertisements to media houses on basis of the data available on Pemra website.



The CJP questioned if application of an international practice was mandatory for Pakistan and under which law rating was compulsory. Justice Umar Atta Bandial, a member of the bench, asked when rating system was first practiced in Pakistan.

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) representative told the bench that the system was first applied in 2004. The additional attorney general said rating companies would take licence from Pemra.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan, another bench member, observed that there should be a proper legislation for media rating. The CJP ordered all the companies to submit data daily to the SC, which will review the data after fifteen days.