CORONAVIRUS: PEMRA issues directives for Ramazan Transmission

ISLAMABAD: The holy month of Ramazan is approaching and as the coronavirus crisis gets worse in Pakistan, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued directives for Ramazan Transmission keeping in view the current pandemic.

PEMRA Ramzaan Transmission — PEMRA issues directives for Ramadan Transmissions during coronavirus pandemic.

PEMRA in its notification that has been issued states that PEMRA licensees will need to review guidelines and directives based on the current situation and cannot continue the practices followed during the Ramazan Transmission during previous years and there can’t be any live audiences present this year.

The notification further states that PEMRA licensees need to follow directions and guidelines set forth by the Federal and Provincial Governments regarding coronavirus that includes social distancing and precautionary measures need to be followed as well as directives of the World Health Organization in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

A notification includes certain directives that PEMRA licensees need to follow for their Ramazan Transmission:

If more than one person is hosting the show of Ramadan Transmission, then distance between both of them should not be less than one meter.
Only one guest at a time should be present on set during transmission.
No display of gifts, bikes, cars, TV etc. as currently world is suffering of hunger, scarcity of resources and joblessness and this would give a very negative impact, instead concepts of social uplift during the crises may be introduced.
Competitions of quiz, Naat and speech etc. can only be held by engaging modern technologies e.g., video link etc.
As gatherings have been prohibited by the Government of Pakistan, therefore no Ramadan cities/ big sets should be developed in the studios in order to ensure protection against the spread of epidemic disease.
Staff engaged for Ramadan Transmission in any capacity / role must be provided with proper safety kits in order to protect themselves from spread of Coronavirus.
Approximate distance between two individuals on-screen and off-screen must not be less than one meter.
Studios, equipment, gadgets being used for the purpose of transmission must be regularly disinfected and sterilized.
Arrangements for hand washing / sanitizing are made inside studios as well as at the entrances.
Notifications issued by Federal and respective provincial governments must be complied with in letter and spirit. Any violations observed shall entail legal action as per relevant law.
Arrangements for walk through sanitizing should be made at the entrances of the studios.
Guidelines regarding prayer of Taraweeh may be propagated as and when advised by the Government of Pakistan.

The notification by PEMRA regarding Ramazan Transmission also states that the licensees need to follow general PEMRA laws as well which includes some fundamental principles, religious tolerance and harmony should be maintained, proper language should be used, there should be a monitoring committee and the transmission should not carry hate speech.

All these PEMRA laws are explained in detail in the attached notification below.