Islamabad, 10th February 2020
The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights on Monday unanimously found that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has no jurisdiction to regulate Web TV and Over The Top (OTT) content services. The committee had called the PEMRA Chairman for a briefing about the authority’s recent proposal to regulate Web TV and OTT services, reported Digital Rights Monitor, Media Matters for Democracy’s news website. Read the full story here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/pemra-ott-senate-human-rights/
We welcome the ruling and laud the Senate Committee on Human Rights on taking a firm stance against this illegal and illogical move of the electronic media regulator PEMRA to regulate the online space and popular video hosting websites such as YouTube in the guise of OTT licensing.
We firmly believe in the potential of initiating OTT licensing regime in Pakistan and creating more space for local content creators, however, veiled policies to unfairly control online spaces in the guise of OTT licensing could be extremely damaging to Pakistan’s digital economy and human rights online.
MMFD’s founder and director Asad Baig explains how the OTT could be revolutionary in Pakistan, but if rolled out with an intent to control the digital space, how it could be damaging for Pakistan’s digital economy in this DRM op-ed. Read the article here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/op-ed-everything-you-need-to-know-about-pemras-policy-to-license-regulate-ott-web-tv/
Op-Ed: Everything you need to know about PEMRA’s policy to license / regulate OTT & Web TV
An explainer by @asadbeyg https://t.co/sbqEqMdO70
— Digital Rights Monitor (@DRM_News) February 3, 2020