According to a statement Xinhua received Thursday from the General Administration of Press and Publication, the administration and another two central agencies have jointly issued a circular about the campaign.

It demanded media groups fire staff involved in such malpractice and crack down on reporting based on kick-backs and the carrying of advertisements in the form of news reports.

Those who are suspected of being involved in crimes will be transferred to judicial departments.

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-05/04/content_25299218.htm

The PFUJ prepared these reports in collaboration with International Federation of Journalists.

The chief guest at the launching ceremony held at PFUJ Secretariat in Islamabad was Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, senior PML-Q leader. The ceremony was presided over by PFUJ Secretary-General Amin Yousuf and was also attended by PFUJ President Pervaiz Shaukat, Finance Secretary Arshad Yaseen, PFUJ members Raja Riaz, Tahir Rathore, APNEC chairman Nasir Naqvi, Secretary General Najmus Saqib, former PFUJ secretary-general Mazhar Abbas and a large number of journalists.

Mr. Yousuf gave a brief detail on the mission reports, and the purpose of sending missions to every province. He said PFUJ was striving to reach every journalist in the country and highlight their issues. He said a complete database of journalists would be ready in the next two months.

PFUJ President Pervaiz Shaukat appreciated IFJ for collaborating with PFUJ in such an important task.

He said PFUJ would continue striving for the rights of the journalists and the mission reports was one of the steps it had taken to highlight the state in which journalism was practiced in the country.

He said never before had such an endeavour been taken and it was for the first time that missions comprising senior journalists were formed for the purpose of reaching out to media persons in far-flung areas.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed praised the reports and their outcome and said he would take up the issues confronting the journalists at the highest forum. He said the reports had comprehensively discussed all aspects of journalism, and appreciated PFUJ for taking the initiative in this regard.

For the first time in the history of PFUJ, four missions were constituted comprising four senior journalists each who visited every nook and corner of the country to gather information on the working conditions of journalists, the kinds of threats they are facing and the nature of obstacles they confront in the line of duty, their financial situation and training in the profession.

The missions went to the smallest of towns in the province and met journalists. The reports also details the number of journalists killed in every province. In Sindh, 15 journalists have been killed since 2000.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, the number of journalists killed between 2003 and 2011 is 23.

Balochistan has witnessed a surge in killing of journalists during the last couple of years. As many as 13 journalists have died since 2008.

The economic condition of journalists has also been focused. Majority of the journalists in small towns and far-flung areas of all provinces do not have contracts nor are they paid salaries.

The situation of journalists in big cities as far as salaries are concerned is also bleak.

Major media organisations have not been paying salaries to journalists, cameramen and photographers regularly.

The PFUJ has made every effort to bring to the fore the issues confronted by journalists not only in major cities but also in small towns and areas which had never visited.

World Press Freedom Day gives people the chance to pay tribute to media professionals who risked or lost their lives in the line of duty. Many communities, organizations and individuals take part in this day through various events such as art exhibitions, dinners featuring keynote speakers, and awards nights to honor those who risked their lives to bring news to the world.
Public life

World Press Freedom Day is a global observance and not a public holiday.
Background

World Press Freedom Day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1993 as an outgrowth of the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press. This seminar took place in Namibia in 1991 and led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media.

The Windhoek Declaration called to establish, maintain and foster an independent, pluralistic and free press. It emphasized the importance of a free press for developing and maintaining democracy in a nation, and for economic development. World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3, the date on which the Windhoek Declaration was adopted.

Although World Press Freedom Day has only been celebrated since 1993, it has much deeper roots in the United Nations. Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights states that everyone “has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.

Each year since 1997, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is awarded to honor the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression, especially if it puts the individual’s life at risk. The award is named after a journalist murdered in 1986 after denouncing drug barons. Last year it was awarded posthumously to a Russian investigative reporter who was murdered in a contract-style killing in 2006.

Aruj TV starts All Pakistan Short Documentary Contest

Winners will be awarded Prizes Rs 100000,50000,25000 respectively.

For Registration contact: 04235315041

For more information, contact: info@aruj.tv

…………………………………………………..

Participants may choose to write on any topic within the ambit of the theme of the competition, that being “Explosive Remnants of War.”

EWR is a term used in the humanitarian aid and sustainable development domain to describe the explosive i.e. threats remaining in post-conflict society. It comprises artillery shells, grenades, motor bombs, cluster munitions, rockets and missile.

The top three essay writers will receive INR25,000 (US$480), INR15,000 (US$288) and INR10,000 (US$192).

There is no entry fee. The last day for submissions is June 15, 2012.

For more details -> http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/event/2012/ensayo-2012-event.htm

Time: 2:00 pm (sharp)

Venue: Shamadan Hall, Serena Hotel Islamabad

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira accompanied the Prime Minister.

Launching of the video service is part of the efforts by Radio Pakistan to live-stream Current Affairs‚ entertainment and cultural programmes in line with requirements of the modern information and digital age. Initially‚ the service can be accessed through Radio Pakistan’s website radio.gov.pk but in future this would also be available through cable.

On this occasion‚ in an interview with Director-General Radio Pakistan Murtaza Solangi‚ as first guest of the new Studio‚ Prime Minister Gilani lauded the role of Radio Pakistan ever since creation of Pakistan especially during disasters.

He said Radio Pakistan helped mobilized public opinion on all challenging occasions and also contributed a lot in promoting culture of the country.

He was speaking at a ceremony held at the National Broadcasting House in Islamabad this morning to inaugurate Multi-Media Studio of Radio Pakistan and to distribute appointment letters regularizing 661 daily wage employees of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.

Launching of the video service is part of the efforts by Radio Pakistan to live-stream Current Affairs‚ entertainment and cultural programmes in line with requirements of the modern information and digital age. Initially‚ the service can be accessed through Radio Pakistan’s website radio.gov.pk but in future this would also be available through cable.

The Prime Minister was warmly greeted by employees of Radio Pakistan when he arrived at the National Broadcasting House. They showered petals on him and raised slogans eulogizing the policy of the Government for welfare of employees especially regularization of the services of contract employees of Radio Pakistan.

In his address of welcome‚ Director-General Radio Pakistan Murtaza Solangi said the credit goes to the democratic Government for regularizing services of 661 contract employees of Radio Pakistan many of whom were in service for over fifteen years. He said these are not just 661 employees but families who would benefit economically with regularization of services.

Referring to the inauguration of video service of Radio Pakistan‚ he said this is in line with other broadcasting organizations of the world who are also making use of audio‚ video‚ texting and social media besides traditional broadcasting. He said despite financial constraints Radio Pakistan is striving hard to keep pace with the modern age.

Awards will be given for the categories mentioned below:

Best Reporter (Electronic), Best Reporter (Print Urdu), Best Reporter (Print English), Best Cameraman, Best Photographer, Best Programme/Anchor (TV), Best Column/Feature, Best Reporter (Print Regional), Best Reporter (Electronic Regional).

Awards in Regional languages would be given in Sindhi, Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi and Saraiki language.

Journalists can send their nominations along with clipping or CD’s to Shahryar Khan, Secretary National Press Club, Sector F-6/1, Islamabad or email the same at shahryarkhan@hotmail.com. Journalists from Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan and Peshawar could send their nominations at their respective Press Clubs as well.

In case of any query contact person from NDMA is Irshad Bhatti (Media Consultant) 0300-5557000 or email: irshadbhatti47@gmail.com and from National Press Club is Shahryar Khan (Secretary NPC) 0322-5075545 email: shahryarkhan@hotmail.com.

Best Reporter (Print) and Best Reporter (electronic) will be sent to Dhaka, Bangladesh in July 2012 at SAARC media conference. Other award winners would be given cash awards, shields and certificates.

President Asif Ali Zardari has felicitated Moneeza Hashmi over his unanimous reelection as the President of Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

She was elected as President of the CBA‚ at the concluding session of the three day conference in Brisbane‚ Australia.

Not a single country from 67 Commonwealth contested against Moneeza Hashmi’s candidature.

Moneeza Hashmi is the daughter of great Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and has worked as Director Programs for PTV.

In his message of felicitation ‚ President Zardari said it is a matter of great satisfaction that women of Pakistan continued their strides in every field of life.

The President said that for him the news of Pakistani women excelling in different fields carried special significance. He said it brought to mind the life long struggle of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for women emancipation and how that continuing struggle witnessed one milestone after another.