Pakistani FM radio stations appeal for

emergency broadcast licenses for disaster areas

 

 

The Association of Independent Radio (AIR) of Pakistan – the representative grouping of the country’s licensed FM radio stations – have appealed for grant of emergency temporary broadcast licenses in the areas struck by the deadly October 8, 2005 earthquake that has killed an estimated 30,000 people, injured close to 60,000 and rendered about 4 million people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, North West Frontier Province and the Northern Areas.

 

The appeal was made to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on October 13, 2005 in Karachi at a meeting that launched AIR. A few weeks before the earthquake, PEMRA had invited expressions of interest for establishment of FM radio stations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the Northern Areas and already received dozens of applications. PEMRA’s role over the past three years in granting licenses, space for private broadcast media and encouraging independent radio and TV across Pakistan has been welcomed and praised widely.   

 

The appeal by AIR was made by the PEMRA-licensed private FM radio stations mentioned below and launched at a meeting facilitated by Internews Pakistan.

 

Following is the text of the appeal:

 

October 13, 2005

The Chairman

Pakistan Electronic Media Authority

Islamabad

 

Subject:                       Grant of temporary FM license for disaster areas

 

Sir,

 

Given the scale of earthquake tragedy, community FM radio stations across Pakistan request your esteemed organization to allow temporary FM radio broadcast from the disaster areas for the affected people in order to augment rescue and relief efforts. Information seems to be the weakest link in rescue and relief efforts right now.

 

2.         All FM stations appeal you to allow limited range FM radio broadcasts in the disaster affected areas. Such community level broadcasts will include:

 

1. Information about areas where relief is immediately required.

 

2. All relief agencies need to know through community broadcasts about each others work.

 

3. Public health safety messages for the victims of the area.

 

4. Information about types and sources of relief goods.

 

5. Special appeals for particular and urgent need for medicines and rescue equipment.

 

6. Announcements about lost and found

 

3.         In view of the above PEMRA is requested to consider the following:

 

1. Immediately grant temporary FM radio licenses to one of the existing/security cleared FM radio licensees.

 

2. Immediately allow duty free import of suit case transmitters for the disaster area public interest broadcast.

 

3. PEMRA may provide some monetary / tax concession to all FM stations as an incentive for disaster relief broadcast.

 

4. To begin with PEMRA provide special communication gadgets (like satellite phones) to make public interest announcements right from the disaster areas to all FM stations across Pakistan.

 

5. PEMRA should set up an information desk for the electronic media at disaster hit areas to ensure provisions and broadcast of public interest/ public awareness and emergency alerts by electronic media in general and its licensees in particular.

 

6. PEMRA should announce special awards/ incentives for all FM stations for their role in upholding public -interest in crisis.

 

Signed by FM stations representatives on this 13^th day of October, 2005

 

S/No    Name                          FM Radio Station

1. Dr Shahjehan Sayed          FM 107 Campus Radio Peshawar University

2. Shafqat Hussain                 FM 100 (Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad)

3. Shahjehan Akbar Bhutto   FM 92 (Nooriabad, Khairpur)

4. Najib Ahmad                      Power 99 FM (Islamabad, Abbotabad, Vehari)

5. Sh Zaahid Iqbal                  Sunrise FM 97 (Hasanabdal)

6. Tariq Hashmi                     Radio Jeevay Pakistan FM 97, 98, 99, 100

7. Zaheeruddin                       FM 88 and 91

8. Naeem Mirza                     Awaz 105 FM (Gujrat), 106 FM (Gujranwala)

9. Shafqat Ullah                      Mast FM 103 (Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan)

10. Narmeen Chinoy  City     FM 89 (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad)

11. Afaq Hyder                       Sachal FM 105 (Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Larkana)