Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has clarified that the new licencees of radio and television have to start their transmission within a year after getting the license.
General Manger Licensing Syed Fayyaz-ul-Hassan addressing a public hearing of Pemra here said that the licence of those who could not start the transmission within one year after getting the license, could be cancelled by the Authority.
Syed Fayyaz said the Pemra has received 34 applications from the private sector for the satellite TV channels which include 24 under cross-media policy.
He said licenses under cross-media would be issued by the Pemra after receiving clearance from Ministry of Law and Interior Ministry.
He also clarified that no company would be issued more than three TV and five radio stations licenses.
The General Manager Licensing said five universities have also been issued TV licenses to promote educational facilities. He said the Pemra would issue more licenses to other universities.
Director Enforcement Colonel Mansur Rashid said there are more than 10,000 cable operators working in different parts of the country while 1,200 are registered with the Pemra. He said Pemra has traced 1800 cable operators working without registration in Karachi alone.
He said the Pemra has a strict code of ethics and added that efforts are being made to force the cable operators to follow the rules and regulations of the Authority.
He said a monitoring section has been set up in the Pemra to ensure that the cable operators should not run unauthorised channels.