PAKISTAN: GEO TV UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 005193 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: GEO TV UPDATE Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Sindh High Court denied on technical grounds Geo TV's petitions on December 4 to resume full broadcasting. Geo TV remains the only channel unable to air domestically. Other news stations are allowed to broadcast because they have agreed to a Media Code of Conduct, which allows for government-censorship of material viewed as prejudicial to the government. End summary. Geo TV Petitions Denied -------------- ¶2. (U) On December 4, the Sindh High Court in Karachi dismissed on technical grounds two petitions against the suspension of Geo television channel transmission. The Court claimed that under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO),it had no jurisdiction over the case. Separately (septel),the Attorney General told Polcouns that the Pakisan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA)'s action against Geo would not hold up in court after the PCO was lifted. Media Code of Conduct -------------- ¶3. (U) After the proclamation of emergency and the interruption of media services, PEMRA released a "voluntary" code of conduct for the Pakistani media outlets. Formulated by the Pakistan Broadcasters Association, the code is aimed at "self-regulation" of electronic media and became a requirement for receiving the broadcasting license distributed by PEMRA. In signing this code, the willing media outlets agree to a number of restraints on their broadcasting capabilities. The code forbids airing any program deemed to contain material against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and its people, specifically the President, security and defense institutions, and the judiciary. In a case of violation of the Code, PEMRA may issue a show cause notice to the violator as to why a particular program or the entire station is "filtered" from broadcast. ¶4. (U) According to reports from various station owners and editors, this code is being called "voluntary;" however, if the stations do not agree to the code, such as the case of Geo TV, they are prevented from broadcasting. Given the economic impact of remaining off the air, many of these station owners agreed to the code simply to prevent bankruptcy, a fear also expressed by Geo station owners. ¶5. (U) In talks with Emboffs, Geo TV officials say that they have spoken with various Ministry officials and agree to monitor and edit programs in advance of airing; however, they refuse to fire three news anchors and announcers as requested by the GOP. Without signing the code, Geo also volunteered to make concessions in their daily on-air reporting and editorials in local newspapers in an effort to show good faith to the GOP. This "self-censorship" is seen by station officials as the station's only way of survival without fully committing to the strenuous code. ¶6. (C) Comment: With all other TV stations back on cable in Pakistan, it seems that the issue is not just controlling news broadcasts, because the GOP is blocking transmission of sports and entertainment programs that produce Geo's revenue. This is punitive economic action that seems designed to drive Geo out of business. The three targeted anchors/announcers were known to have criticized/satirized Musharraf himself, and Geo (the Pakistani equivalent of CNN) has over the last few months been particularly active in covering events--like the Red Mosque operation and former Chief Justice Chaudhry's rallies--that made the GOP uncomfortable. The Attorney General reports that Geo will be back on the air in a few days, but what conditions Geo will accept to resume broadcasts remain unclear. PATTERSON