PEMRA to launch serious drive against piracy

Monday 05 Sep 2011
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Intellectual Property Rights Organization (IPO) have resolved to take joint action against the menace of piracy in the electronic media, Pakistan Today reports.

According to a PEMRA press release, the unhindered influx of pirated content on broadcast media and cable TV in Pakistan is not only posing serious regulatory challenge but also causing huge losses to the national exchequer besides promoting piracy.

PEMRA has been working closely with other relevant agencies including the IPO to launch a serious and concerted drive against the pirated content which is otherwise causing serious harm to the country’s repute.

PEMRA, in a recent meeting held with representatives of the IPO in Islamabad, emphasised working out a joint strategy to curb growing piracy in electronic media and also informed the IPO of actions it had taken against TV channels and cable operators whereby it had stopped the broadcast of pirated content and also imposed heavy fines.

PEMRA, in consultation with the IPO, has also issued stern warnings to all broadcast media and cable TV operators asking them to refrain from exhibiting pirated content and directed them to submit the copyright record of their content being relayed on electronic media or cable TV networks to the authority.

It warned that the exhibition of pirated content would result in legal action being initiated against violators under relevant provisions of PEMRA and IPO laws.