By Mir Umar,AIP,
Srinagar: Kashmir Broadcasters Association (KBA) warns authority for imposing restriction on the daily broadcasting in valley.
While expressing views, a spokes person of KBA in a meeting held at press enclave in Srinagar said that, “we strongly condemn the barbaric and unconstitutional order of state government in which it has been directed to all channels based in Kashmir valley that they shall have to broadcast only for 15 minutes inspite of 24 hours broadcasting”.
The spokesperson of Kashmir Broadcasters Association (KBA) said “it has not happened first time in valley when government has put restrictions on local media channels remarkably whenever government believe that local media is broadcasting the real face of administration and governance in state of Jammu and Kashmir” .
In a statement, spokesperson said, if national media is allowed to broadcast then why not Kashmir based channels.
When government is giving us orders or impose restrictions on our local bulletins from half hour to 10 minutes, then what about Jammu based local channels, if government has to impose such a kind of restrictions then it should be on both parts of state, we totally condemn this step mother role of authorities towards Kashmir based channels.
While talking to Agence India Press news head of Kashmir bureau of JK channel, Ishfaq Gowher said that, this is significantly expressing the policy of government towards the local people living in valley within these complicated situations.
He said, as being the fourth pillar for the society, it is our responsibility to aware general masses regarding day to day happening as we have right to express and they have right of information as well.”
It is very unfortunate that now these local channels have become target of politics and government too”, he added.
Since from 2008 Amarnath land row till today a number of media persons were beaten, offices of our channels were smashed but despite of that local channels tried hard to put forth every single event to the resident Jammu and Kashmir by means of news or current affairs programmes, he said.
However Kashmir Broadcaster Association (KBA) has categorically warned the authority that, if they (government) do not cancel the order of minimizing broadcast of local channels, the association can go for any extent in future to get their legal demand fulfilled genuinely under the provisions of constitution of India.
Meanwhile on 26 June, authorities restricted local media and ordered local cable TV channels to reduce the time of the news bulletin.
According to the order, cable TV channels were directed to telecast the news from 8.00 pm to8-15 pm.
No repeat telecast of news will be allowed. Whereas, operations of local cable TV channels have been severely restricted, while their counterparts in the other part of the state are free to air content of their choice.
Media associations in Kashmir have condemned the restrictions on their functioning, saying that the approach of the government was “unashamed” as it had not shown any respect for the sector as an important institution.