–Media body says granting relief to crisis-stricken industry will enable it to play effective role in spreading awareness about COVID-19
KARACHI: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) on Monday urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to include payment of media dues in his relief package scheduled to be announced on Tuesday so that the crisis-ridden industry can effectively play its role in creating awareness about the COVID-19.
In a statement, APNS President Hameed Haroon and Secretary General Sarmad Ali appealed to the prime minister to instruct the federal and provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to release the advertising dues of the media amounting to approximately Rs6 billion on priority basis to enable the crisis ridden media industry to effectively play its role in creating awareness about the coronavirus outbreak and combatting fake news.
The APNS office bearers stated in their statement that newspapers are an authentic source of information and in these trying times when things are spinning out of control, they are an essential tool to combat fake news and rumour mongering.
They requested the prime minister to announce this as part of the relief package that he intends to announce on Tuesday.
“The newspaper industry is going through an acute financial crisis due to a cut in government advertising and delay in payments of advertising dues, they said. COVID-19 is likely to further aggravate this crisis. The gesture of the prime minister to clear the advertising dues will enable newspapers to play their due role in helping the government to fight against the pandemic crisis,” the statement read.
