Pakistan Press Foundation

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The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) was established in 1967 as a non-profit organisation [1] by the news agency Pakistan Press International and operated until 1974, when it had to suspend operations due to the political environment then prevailing in the country. It was reactivated in 1992 and has since been involved in assisting in the development of independent media in Pakistan by conducting training programmes for journalists, carrying out projects in research and documentation, and campaigning to defend and promote freedom of the press. [2] [1]

Pakistan Press International (PPI) is a news agency founded in June 1956 as Pakistan Press Association (PPA). The name was changed in 1968. It was first started by Mr. Muzzam Ali, the Chief Editor of Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). The agency objective was to provide competition to APP's monopoly. It began its service by hand, only in Karachi. PPA also built up a network of correspondents in the smaller cities and towns in Pakistan. This was in contrast to APP, which had coverage in a limited number of large cities. For foreign news the agency signed up with the Agence France-Presse (AFP) in 1957, and a year later became the first Asian partner of DPA. PPA also posted a correspondent in the Middle East, an area of special interest to Pakistani newspapers.

Independent media refers to any form of media, such as radio, television, newspapers or the Internet, that is free of influence by government or corporate interests. The term has varied applications. Within the United States and other developed countries, it is often used synonymously with alternative media to refer to media that specifically distinguish themselves in relation to the mainstream media. In international development, the term independent media is used in relation to the development of new media outlets, particularly in areas where there is little to no existing media presence.

Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Such freedom implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state; its preservation may be sought through constitutional or other legal protections.

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Training programs

PPF regularly organizes training programs and seminars on issues facing the Pakistani media. [1] The organization has worked for the improvement of professional skills, and in helping to raise journalists’ awareness of professional, social, political and human-rights issues. In December 2016, a survey in Pakistan was conducted by Pakistan Press Foundation that had found that the Pakistani news media allots 30pc of its news coverage to political news and only 1.5pc to human rights issues. This survey was done to bring attention to human rights issues by the government so it could address human rights violations. [3]

Collaboration with other organizations

The PPF collaborates with many local and international organizations, including the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), [4] Asia Foundation, Panos South Asia, IFEX, [5] Free Voice, UNESCO, Commonwealth Press Union (CPU), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Thomson Foundation, the British Council, Knight International Foundation, National Endowment for Democracy, European Union, Freedom Forum, World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), Council of Asian-Pacific Press Institutes (CAPPI) and the Asia-Pacific Communication Network.

The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has worked since its foundation in 1957 as the combined body of newspaper editors in Pakistan to campaign for defence of press freedom and the right of access to information in the service of democratic practice and strengthening of democratic institutions in the country.

All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) is an organization of major Pakistani newspapers - their publishers, companies and corporations including Jang Group of Newspapers, Dawn Group of Newspapers and Nawa-i-Waqt Group of Newspapers.

The Panos Network is a network of independent non-governmental institutes working "to ensure that information is effectively used to foster public debate, pluralism and democracy".

In addition to capacity building, the PPF is committed to the promotion of freedom of the press in Pakistan. PPF organizes training programmes on press freedom, the rights of journalists and on journalistic ethics. [1] PPF has played a leading role in promoting the use of recently introduced access to information laws and in lobbying for improvement of these laws. PPF also works to make the harassment of journalists and news organizations politically and socially unacceptable. The foundation produces PPF Newsflash, a service designed to highlight threats to press freedom in the country. PPF also coordinates financial support for victimized journalists.

Access to information is the ability for an individual to seek, receive and impart information effectively. This sometimes includes "scientific, indigenous, and traditional knowledge; freedom of information, building of open knowledge resources, including open Internet and open standards, and open access and availability of data; preservation of digital heritage; respect for cultural and linguistic diversity, such as fostering access to local content in accessible languages; quality education for all, including lifelong and e-learning; diffusion of new media and information literacy and skills, and social inclusion online, including addressing inequalities based on skills, education, gender, age, race, ethnicity, and accessibility by those with disabilities; and the development of connectivity and affordable ICTs, including mobile, the Internet, and broadband infrastructures".

In 1999, the PPF established the PPF-Vicky Zeitlin Media Library and Training Centre, which houses an extensive collection of publications on the media and issues of interest to the Pakistani media. Training workshops and seminars are regularly held at the training centre. Since 2017, PPF has provided training to more than 120 journalists. [2]

Human rights issues

The PPF is involved in research and documentation on mass communication and human rights issues in Pakistan. [3] The weekly PPF Media Review, in English and Urdu, compiles important news about the media. PPF is also involved in producing manuals and handbooks on journalism in Urdu and Sindhi.

Monitoring election campaigns for violations

Pakistan Press Foundation also monitors campaigns by the Pakistani political parties to gauge whether they have become too negative against each other and are not focusing on real issues facing the public. PPF also makes Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) aware of violations of ECP prescribed 'Code of Conduct for Media' by the newspapers and TV channels in the country and 'Code of Conduct for Political Parties' by the Pakistani political parties during the election campaigns. [5] [1]

Pakistan Press Foundation encourages the Pakistani public to report to it any attacks against media people or journalistic organizations so it can make Election Commission of Pakistan aware of them. This policy was followed by PPF during the Pakistani general election, 2018. [5] [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ikram Junaidi (8 July 2018). "Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) launches monitoring mechanism for violence". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. 1 2 Pakistan Press Foundation on Global Investigative Journalism Network website Retrieved 2 August 2019
  3. 1 2 Ikram Junaidi (24 December 2016). "Media should give importance to human rights issues". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  4. ↑ Jahanzaib Haque (January – February 2016). "A united media at last". aurora.dawn.com website. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 Pakistan Press Foundation launches mechanism to report election-related violence ifex.org website, Published 5 July 2018, Retrieved 2 August 2019
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