The project will contribute to the promotion of freedom of expression, opinion and information in Pakistan by providing safety and security training to journalists and media professionals in conflict riddled Balochistan, Southern Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan., PPF will pay special attention to provide safety training to provincial journalists working in geographical areas where professional journalism training is weak, helping them to reduce the risks under which they work and to work more safely.
Countries: Pakistan
Pakistan is one of the deadliest countries for local journalists. In addition to facing various dangers when reporting, they are subject to constant digital security threats. Given that most journalists in Pakistan do not know how to protect themselves against cyber criminals, this project will develop a comprehensive manual for tjese journalists detailing Pakistan's existing (and missing) security laws and cyber policies. Based on this manual, digital security training will be offered to 150 journalists in Lahore and Islamabad as well as to journalism and mass communication students at...
Ninety-four journalists were killed in Pakistan over the last decade, yet just one of the killers has been arrested, tried and convicted. Many more journalists have received threats, including from the country’s intelligence agencies. Due to this alarming situation, Pakistan was identified as a focus country for the UN’s Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity in 2013-2014.
This project therefore aims to increase the safety of Pakistani journalists working in hostile environments. A safety mechanism will be developed, including a rapid...
Media in Pakistan is passing through a critical juncture where security and safety of media and media persons have become a serious question. On the one hand, the media landscape is expanding – with over 70 television channels and over 130 private FM radio stations in existence today, and over 17,000 working journalists. On the other hand, the safety and security of journalists have emerged as major issues during this period. More than 80 journalists have lost their lives during past ten years in the line of their duty. Intimidation, harassment, threats and arrests of journalists have...
These include several regional, national and local channels with a constantly growing viewership. The print and electronic media in Pakistan has experienced a remarkable transformation in the last decade and now Pakistan enjoys a vibrant media scene with unprecedented diversity of opinion available in various ethnic languages. The electronic media can play an important role by highlighting local and national issues and performing a critical watchdog role. However, much of the new electronic media in Pakistan is relatively unsophisticated and most content revolves around entertainment....
The liberalization of the broadcasting and print media sector in Pakistan over the past two decades has led to an explosion in the number of circulating newspapers and magazines, with over 850 publications in circulation today. Historically this growth began in the main metropolitan centres, however the devolution of power to local governments across Pakistan has led to increased pressure on the media sector to mirror this change and provide support to district correspondents. At present this support is largely unavailable, with district correspondents often poorly educated, underpaid, and...
Access to accurate and reliable information is a necessity for the people of Pakistan in their struggle for democracy. At present, more than 40% of the Pakistani population lives in poverty, with over than two-thirds of this figure living in rural areas. Some 65% of people living in rural areas are illiterate and lack access to news and information. This project aims to address this worrying statistic by using radio as a means of reaching out and providing a voice to rural communities. A target group of 150 journalists, selected from 25 FM radio stations from smaller towns and rural areas...
The Press clubs located in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) are under-resourced and underdeveloped. There are seven independent press clubs in the FATA, with the membership of 250+ journalists working with the print and electronic media. In their current form, the press clubs primarily provide a 'journalistic identity' through membership to their members and a platform for the exchange of information. They do not provide a means of broad professional development. Nor is there any formal mechanism for the members of the clubs from different areas to share experiences with...
The last two decades have witnessed increased freedom for the print media and liberalisation of the broadcasting section in Pakistan. Today, more than 1000 dailies, weeklies and magazines are being published in the country, while more than 172 licenses have been issued to private FM radio stations and TV channels. Similarly, Internet use is increasing at an astounding rate. Some seven million Pakistanis in more than 1000 cities, towns and rural centres are connected to the Internet. Recently, newspapers publishers have been authorised to open their TV channels. However, freedom of...
Pakistani media continues to face pressures from the government authorities, political and other groups. In addition to other punitive measures, the government has increased the use of advertising as a lever to pressure publications. Pakistani journalists also continue to face incidents of violence by political, ethnic and religious groups. Despite these problems, a wide range of publications provide a diverse and critical coverage of national and international affairs. A large number of television and radio stations have also opened up in the private sector, ending decades of government...
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