Off-air TV channel mulls shifting base |
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18 November 2007
Dubai: Geo TV, a leading Pakistani television news channel, will consider moving out of Dubai if a settlement is not reached with regard to the disruption in the transmission of its news channel from the Dubai Media CityDubai Media City
.
"We are losing a lot of money while being off air. So we're considering alternative arrangements in Asia in case this issue is not resolved," Imran Mir, station manager for Geo TV, told Gulf News yesterday.
Dubai Media City (DMC)Dubai Media City (DMC) stopped satellite transmission on Saturday for Geo News and ARY One World, two DMCDMC-based, privately-owned Pakistani news channels known to be critical of Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf.
Both channels have refused to abide by a new media code issued by the Pakistani government after General Musharraf imposed emergency rule on November 3. Transmission for entertainment and sports channels for the same groups have not been affected.
Protecting interests
Ebrahim Al Abid, Director General of the National Media Council, said in a statement carried by WAM news agency that the decision to stop the two channels was in line with the UAE's foreign policy, "based on neutrality and non-interference in others' domestic affairs".
"The UAE is committed to international legitimacy, principles and laws, as well as to supporting peace and stability in the region," he said.
Al Abid reiterated that the closure of the two TV channels is coherent with the foreign policy of the UAE.
Executive Director of Media at DMCDMC Ameenah Al Rustomani said in the statement: "DMCDMC's management is in talks with the channels on the content of their news and programmes, hoping to reach a settlement on grounds of the UAE's policies to protect everyone's interests."
Mir noted that millions of Urdu-speaking viewers in South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America would be affected and that the channel could not remain off the air indefinitely. "We have a staff of 200 people here. They will be jobless if this continues," he said, adding that the correspondents were working.
He added that the TV network had been under pressure from the Pakistani government to tone down its criticism of the government. The network approached DMCDMC volunteering to move operations out of its current headquarters in Dubai. "We asked for a one month notice," he said.
By Abbas Al Lawati
© Gulf News 2007. All rights reserved.
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hello
a msg to dmc , dmc should have stayed neutral in this matter, but the " brotherly relations " between the owner of dmc and the so called democrativ govt of pakistan are a reason here fir these channels to be stopped,
i ask geo netwrk to move to india or uk as soon as possible
thankyou
long live geo and ary for not giving in to the pressure s [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]
calling from london uk, geo news as free as they have been are part of our life, as a loyal viewer and a pakistani i will urge you to leave dmc as soon as possible, move over to london uk where independence is gurantted,
BRING ALL YR NEWS ANCHERS AND STAFF HERE AND START FROM HERE WHERE U WILL HAVE NO FEAR NO PRESSURE , BU LOOKING AT THE PPL WHO OWN AND RUN DMC, I AM NOT SURPRISED ON WHY THE CHANNELS WAS SHUT DOWN, PERSNAOL FREINDSHIP CAME INTO PLAY HERE, RATHER THEN THE POLICY AND PRINCIPLES
VERY SAD IN DEEDM SO PLEASE MAKE A MOVE , COME TO A PLACE WHICH IS NON MUSLIM THOUGH VERY RESPECTFULL OF OTHERE INDEPENDENCE AND RIGHT OF FREE EXPRESSION [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]