Geo's back! | Geo TV shuts down!

[EagleEyes]

This forum does not allow attacking members, and you are REQUIRED to use polite language while addressing each other.

Notice that 90% of the people here are saying the same thing you are but have not managed to get a reprimand.

Dont bother. He is a troll, and likes to play with kiddes on other forums.

 

[HAIDER]

Talking to friend back home, asking about Geo closing impact on general public. His opinion is its "peace" all over media.Ask what Geo was showing like govt has ruined the whole country, why people are not out of for protest ? Response was people have no time. Generals action are not hurting my daily routine.
People have mix feeling, Geo was bring total anarchy in society for last few weeks. But people are used to " reality show ". They are not interested in TV serials and dramas anymore. So, it will take little time to change their mood again. Anyway let see what happened after election. May be Geo learnt some lesson.
But again even Bibi or Nawaz party come in power, no one will open this TV channel. Because from Geo broadcasting all parties have learnt very basic lesson. Geo will always sit on opposition seat. If Mush on air channel then it has chances of survival. Otherwise no govt or no party will take risk to re-open this channel. What they did with Mushi, they will do with them too..

 

[Interceptor]

^
Have a read what Geo and the masses that support say rather than one persons view mixed with your own. Have read.

MUSHARRAF SHUTS DOWN GEO TV

ISLAMABAD: GEO TV, Pakistan's premier Urdu news channel, also seen round the world as the main source of news and current affairs, was shut down at 1 a.m. Pakistan time (12 midnight Dubai time) after President Pervez Musharraf put tremendous pressure to silence a media outlet which had refused to bow down to his dictates.

Informed sources said President Pervez Musharraf himself intervened to stop all GEO news transmissions from Dubai, after a two-week standoff in Pakistan during which all major news channels were shut down by cable operators, who are directly controlled by the Pakistani authorities.

The shutting down of the Geo News was universally condemned by almost every political party and member of the civil society minutes before the anchors, almost in tears, signed off.

PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif told Dr. Shahid Masood on telephone from London it was a tragic moment in Pakistan's history as the Musharraf regime was bent upon destroying every symbol of free speech and democracy in the country.

Makhdoon Amin Faheem, the PPP Vice Chairman told Geo News, in its dying moments, that it would be a tragedy for the country and democracy if Geo went off the air, which it did minutes later.

Lt. General Talat Masood, Retired Chief Justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqi and many others representing the civil society, who used to appear regular in Geo talk shows, expressed shock and disgust at the decision to shut of Geo TV.

Popular news anchors came on Geo News around midnight Pakistan time to announce that their channel had been ordered to go off the air as result of the continued deadlock between the Pakistani authorities and the media channels, following the imposition of the emergency in the country.

In Pakistan all GEO channels were blocked by the military regime after the imposition of the emergency but on Friday two main channels, DAWN News and AAJ were back on air, with AAJ announcing that two its most popular talks shows, hosted by Talat Hussain, Nusrat Javeed and Mushtaq Mihas, were suspended temporarily.

Geo News was shut down because it had refused to budge. After six years of objective and highly professional telecasts, which earned the channel the honour of being the most popular TV channel, the Government of Pakistan put it off the air on Nov 4 after emergency was imposed.

Geo News was under pressure from day one. The government tried to bring it down but the channel became a household name in Pakistan and abroad and was declared by the international observers as the most watched and popular TV channel.

Its role in the judicial crisis, which started on March 9, when the President filed a reference against the Chief Justice, was highly applauded, domestically and internationally.

Geo kept the whole world informed about the developments regarding the events unfolding during the struggle of people of Pakistan for restoration of dignity of the judiciary through its objective reporting by giving all points of view. The programmes, talks shows and commentaries produced by Geo created an impact and awareness among the people.

Sources said the government first asked the Geo administration to stop the most popular programmes of popular TV hosts Dr. Shahid Masood, Hamid Mir and Kamran Khan without offering any tangible reason why they should be stopped.

After the success of the Chief Justice campaign all private news channels were banned from telecasting live programmes and filming outside the studios.

The media workers protested against the move and the government had to accept the demands of the media workers. The shows were allowed to continue but live coverage was banned.

In the meanwhile General Pervez Musharraf kept on resorting to pressure tactics and the Geo channels revenue sources were targeted.

Under his orders all government advertisements were not only stopped but other commercial advertisers were also pressurized not to give business to Geo. The channel withstood all the pressures and suffered huge losses. A statement submitted in the Sindh High Court on Friday said almost Rs1 billion was lost by the channel.

After the emergency General Musharraf banned Geo and other channels inside Pakistan. Geo stood the pressure and refused to sign on the dotted line.

The sources pointed out that the government under General Pervez Musharraf enhanced its pressure on the media to regulate itself under the command of the administration after the clamping of emergency.

The media was strangulated through an ordinance that placed restrictions on its freedom that had no precedent. It was virtually made impossible to carry on free journalism in the country in the presence of the said ordinance.

A so-called code of conduct was thrust upon the media to follow without any consultations with the journalist community. Private channels were asked to sign an undertaking that would have made the channels subservient to the authorities.

This was done after suspending all private channels of the country and the channel administrations were asked to accept the conditions and sign the document of undertaking.

They were told to accept provisional licences instead of the permanent ones they had. The earlier licences were cancelled through the same order.

The sources said that General Pervez Musharraf asked the channels to stop their current affairs programmes, which were not acceptable to him and demanded that anchorpersons should be fired.

The channels who signed the document were restored on the cable. Some channels accepted the official advice while others refused to follow.

Geo declined to oblige General Pervez Musharraf as the demands included cooperation on all points which the new caretaker government would bring up.

It was demanded that Geo should stop the objectionable current affairs programmes and toe the official line.

The authorities wanted that the channel should cooperate with President General Pervez Musharraf.

The channel was further asked to submit all its programmes for monitoring by government officials, as no programme without clearance would be aired.

The sources said that Geo was first forbidden in Pakistan through cable not brought under pressure through the authorities concerned of the country from where it was being aired.

The channel was being seen at some places in the country through dish antennas and Internet but the government's technical experts first tried to stop it on the Internet and then a ban was placed on the import of dish antenna and relevant equipment used for receiving direct satellite signals.

The authorities in the host country had to ask the Geo News to stop its telecast from their up-linking station under excruciating pressure coming from the Government of Pakistan without considering its long-term adverse impact on the image of the host country.

The authorities concerned while conveying the message of the Pakistan Government to close down the channel, ridiculed the decision as they had no experience of facing such a demand which was contrary to all norms of decency and business in the modern time business culture, the sources revealed.

Geo's voice was silenced by General Pervez Musharraf as its anchors, almost in tears, bid farewell to its viewers and listeners.

Geo News

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

UAE considering Geo TV to resume transmission​

DUBAI: UAE authorities said on Saturday that they were considering whether to allow two leading Pakistani news channels, which were shut down following "pressure" from Islamabad, to resume their transmission.

The two news channels, Geo and ARY , which were broadcasting from Dubai after refusing to sign a government code of conduct under the emergency rule, were shut down on Saturday due to "pressure" from the military regime.

Amina AlRustamani, Executive Director of Dubai Media City, where the two channels are based, said talks are on to resume transmission of the channels.

"Our relationship with them ( Geo and ARY ) has been strong and friendly. We are in discussion with them in regard to the telecast of their news components and we are confident we will resolve this matter in the best way possible to protect their interests and those of the UAE," she added.

Officials of both Geo and ARY channels said the Pakistan government had influenced authorities in the UAE to shut down their broadcasts from the Dubai Media City. Their programming went off the air at about 1 am Pakistani time after the UAE's information ministry directed them to cease satellite and internet broadcasts.

Reacting to worldwide criticism to the closure of the two channels in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates has said the country's neutrality has been a key principle of its foreign policy.

 

[HAIDER]

An obvious example of Geo reporting, when army was doing operation in Waziristan (wrong or right). Geo went there and took interview from those element who were involve anti-Pak activity. Anyone condemn that act. Are on mission to totally demoralize our forces. Living in so many country, i never seen an media person enter in operation zone and giving coverage to those element who are against state.What Geo did to Pak army in Lal masjid operation. An army action was just to wipe out state within state. What came back in result.
Chief Justice of Pakistan condemn the action and order giving back the mosque to those elements who just while ago were busy in killing state force.
Do we need to take support of news media to get common sense or utilizing our brain grasping ability ?
Unfortunately we rely so much on media report. Which has freeze our thinking and analyzing capability.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

There are so many people protesting the banning of TV channels...so many condemning this act ...so many expressing outrage...the lawyers...every single opposition leader.....every press association and "senior journalist"...

I only wonder, is being deprived of TV more important than having suicide bombers attack our soldiers and citizens? Is not having TV more important than having schools, music stores, barber shops and ancient monuments being bombed?

It sure seems like it, because I can count on one finger the number of opposition leaders, lawyers, and "senior journalists" and press associations that came out to "protest" those barbarities..

What skewed priorities we have....

 

[Awesome]

Talking to friend back home, asking about Geo closing impact on general public. His opinion is its "peace" all over media.Ask what Geo was showing like govt has ruined the whole country, why people are not out of for protest ? Response was people have no time. Generals action are not hurting my daily routine.
People have mix feeling, Geo was bring total anarchy in society for last few weeks. But people are used to " reality show ". They are not interested in TV serials and dramas anymore. So, it will take little time to change their mood again. Anyway let see what happened after election. May be Geo learnt some lesson.
But again even Bibi or Nawaz party come in power, no one will open this TV channel. Because from Geo broadcasting all parties have learnt very basic lesson. Geo will always sit on opposition seat. If Mush on air channel then it has chances of survival. Otherwise no govt or no party will take risk to re-open this channel. What they did with Mushi, they will do with them too..

In such a case Geo should be taken to the court.

You know when all things would've gone against Musharraf he still had this honor with him that he made the media free in Pakistan where it was very difficult to do so. But he reversed and tramped over his own good thing. History will only remember him as someone who shut Geo TV down.

If Geo interviewed an extremist, whats wrong about that? It didn't praise what the extremist had to say. The west interviewed Osama Bin Laden.

The thing is the government should have fought the media war. Everyone has to. They should have a good PR office that can keep on defying whatever's being said.

 

[Awesome]

There are so many people protesting the banning of TV channels...so many condemning this act ...so many expressing outrage...the lawyers...every single opposition leader.....every press association and "senior journalist"...

I only wonder, is being deprived of TV more important than having suicide bombers attack our soldiers and citizens? Is not having TV more important than having schools, music stores, barber shops and ancient monuments being bombed?

It sure seems like it, because I can count on one finger the number of opposition leaders, lawyers, and "senior journalists" and press associations that came out to "protest" those barbarities..

What skewed priorities we have....

You may take our lives, but you'll never take our freedom!
-- William Wallace, Braveheart

 

[bhangra12345]

There are so many people protesting the banning of TV channels...so many condemning this act ...so many expressing outrage...the lawyers...every single opposition leader.....every press association and "senior journalist"...

I only wonder, is being deprived of TV more important than having suicide bombers attack our soldiers and citizens? Is not having TV more important than having schools, music stores, barber shops and ancient monuments being bombed?

It sure seems like it, because I can count on one finger the number of opposition leaders, lawyers, and "senior journalists" and press associations that came out to "protest" those barbarities..

What skewed priorities we have....

AM,

It is not about TV, TV is just a media, It is about free speech, having the right to speak the truth as the person sees fit.

Where did Geo support bombers by the way?

The bombings are made by a "you-know-who"(harry potter) type terror, but the response by Musharraf is also the same type.

Give a death threat to any one who speaks against Taliban - Taliban.
Give an arrest warrant and no permission to any one who speaks against Mushy - Mushy.

I dont remember where I read the following quote -
"The biggest danger one faces is not that he is obliterated by the enemy, but in facing the enemy, he becomes the enemy itself."
The question is once Mushy who has no checks and balances on him goes down this path, what is there to stop him?

 

[Sam Dhanraj]

The channel was further asked to submit all its programmes for monitoring by government officials, as no programme without clearance would be aired....

Whats would be the difference between PTV and Private Media channels then ?? Geo if agreed would have broadcasted only "Everything is Goody Goody and under Control in Pakistan".

AM, its not being deprived of TV but lack of different POV as GEO refused to toe the official line.
I wonder how many view PTV or Doordarshan in India (where there are different choices and POV available)

 

[Interceptor]

The thing is the government should have fought the media war. Everyone has to. They should have a good PR office that can keep on defying whatever's being said.

No Asim the government is beaten down old dog, and all top level Politicians and lawyers knew every move that was to come from the Dictatorship even the media knew this would happen.

Listen to this speech by Aitzaz Ahsan on 2nd of Nov, he predicted that marshal law would come during the weekend.

MUSHARRAF IS DEFEATED COMMANDER -- AITZAZ AHSAN --NOV 2,07

 

[niaz]

I heard Aitzaz Ahsan on the tube and couldnt believe my ears. Have all intellectuals/ danishwar ( as in Urdu) gone mad! If Aitzaz Ahsan can predict Martial Law why then he goes ahead and tries to get Musharraf disqualified?? How will martial law help the cause of Democarcy or the Constitution?? I conclude from this that politicians in general and Aitzaz Ahsan in particular don't want the transition to democracy, instead they all thrive in Martial Law. I hope all of this scum rots in hell as these are enemies of Democracy and enemies of the people of Pakistan.

Now about TV ban.

Facts:

ARY channel was started in the 1990's ( Nawaz Sharif's second term) in London by a sidekick of Asif Zardari called Javed Pasha. The same gentleman who was involved in the purchase of Surrey mansion for him.

Originally it was called Pakistani Channel ( Javed Pasha had 3 years earlier also started TV Asia which was later sold to an Indian and then renamed Zee TV) along with a Radio Station called Radio Asia and a Newspaper called Assalamo Alaikum Pakistan. All with Asif Zardari's money.

Because Asif was put in jail by Nawaz Sharif; Zardari didnot want to continue funding the enterprize using his foreign accounts due to the fear that these funds may be traced back to him. This had earlier happened with the 18,000 UK Pounds necklace purchased by Benazir at the Harrods and paid from the Swiss account, which resulted in BB's presecution in the Swiss Courts. Newspaper was closed down, the Radio Asia and the PakistanTV channel sold out. TV was purchased by Abdur Razak Yaqub, a Dubai based Gold Trader and close friend of BB and renamed ARY. ARY has therefore always been partial towards PPP.

Geo TV is owned by the Jang Group of Newspapers. An extremely powerful media group of Pakistan which had earlier quarrelled with Nawaz Sharif in a big way. However Jang Group have generally been critical of nearly all Pak Govts and employ many top notch journalists such as Irshad Haqqani, Ghazi Salahuddin and Mr Chughtai on their staff.

Two of their anchors, Hamid Mir and Dr Maqsoood Ahmad have been very highly critical of Musharraf. Hamid Mir in particular is responsible for making a hero of the Lal Masjid mob. TV anchors emphasize on a single piece of news by showing the same picture over and over, thus giving undue publicity to a minor event. A recent example is a photograph where a plain clothes policeman is seen grabing a female protester and pushing her into a police van. Pray tell me, if govt bans a protest and women insist on breaking it; what remedy does any law enforcing agency has except to arrest the protesters by force. I myself have been guilty of blocking Oxford Street during a Ban the Bomb protest during the Sixties by sitting in the middle of the Oxford Street. All of us which included many female students were uncermoniusly rounded up, taken to the police station and then let go after a couple of hours without being charged. But then I was a young hot headed socialist.

The picture in question was however shown again and again with the opposition leaders sputing venom against the government for nearly two days.

Conclusion:

Notwithstanding all of the above; whatever the government ( Musharraf ) did is wrong. One must have the tolerance to accept criticism even though it is unfair and over the limit. You cannot stop what people think by blacking out the news channels.

Quote
Sunn to sahee jehan main hai tera fasana kia, kehti hai tujh to khalq-e- Khuda ghaibana kia ( Urdu writen in Roman)
Unquote

I agree with Aitzaz Ahsan on one point only, that Mushy is a defeated general. However, I repeat my assertion that Pakistani politicians are willing to shoot themselves in both the feet if it means that Musharraf will get hurt in one foot. IMO this is crazy.

 

[Awesome]

I heard Aitzaz Ahsan on the tube and couldnt believe my ears. Have all intellectuals/ danishwar ( as in Urdu) gone mad! If Aitzaz Ahsan can predict Martial Law why then he goes ahead and tries to get Musharraf disqualified?? How will martial law help the cause of Democarcy or the Constitution?? I conclude from this that politicians in general and Aitzaz Ahsan in particular don't want the transition to democracy, instead they all thrive in Martial Law. I hope all of this scum rots in hell as these are enemies of Democracy and enemies of the people of Pakistan.

Now about TV ban.

Facts:

ARY channel was started in the 1990's ( Nawaz Sharif's second term) in London by a sidekick of Asif Zardari called Javed Pasha. The same gentleman who was involved in the purchase of Surrey mansion for him.

Originally it was called Pakistani Channel ( Javed Pasha had 3 years earlier also started TV Asia which was later sold to an Indian and then renamed Zee TV) along with a Radio Station called Radio Asia and a Newspaper called Assalamo Alaikum Pakistan. All with Asif Zardari's money.

Because Asif was put in jail by Nawaz Sharif; Zardari didnot want to continue funding the enterprize using his foreign accounts due to the fear that these funds may be traced back to him. This had earlier happened with the 18,000 UK Pounds necklace purchased by Benazir at the Harrods and paid from the Swiss account, which resulted in BB's presecution in the Swiss Courts. Newspaper was closed down, the Radio Asia and the PakistanTV channel sold out. TV was purchased by Abdur Razak Yaqub, a Dubai based Gold Trader and close friend of BB and renamed ARY. ARY has therefore always been partial towards PPP.

Geo TV is owned by the Jang Group of Newspapers. An extremely powerful media group of Pakistan which had earlier quarrelled with Nawaz Sharif in a big way. However Jang Group have generally been critical of nearly all Pak Govts and employ many top notch journalists such as Irshad Haqqani, Ghazi Salahuddin and Mr Chughtai on their staff.

Two of their anchors, Hamid Mir and Dr Maqsoood Ahmad have been very highly critical of Musharraf. Hamid Mir in particular is responsible for making a hero of the Lal Masjid mob. TV anchors emphasize on a single piece of news by showing the same picture over and over, thus giving undue publicity to a minor event. A recent example is a photograph where a plain clothes policeman is seen grabing a female protester and pushing her into a police van. Pray tell me, if govt bans a protest and women insist on breaking it; what remedy does any law enforcing agency has except to arrest the protesters by force. I myself have been guilty of blocking Oxford Street during a Ban the Bomb protest during the Sixties by sitting in the middle of the Oxford Street. All of us which included many female students were uncermoniusly rounded up, taken to the police station and then let go after a couple of hours without being charged. But then I was a young hot headed socialist.

The picture in question was however shown again and again with the opposition leaders sputing venom against the government for nearly two days.

Conclusion:

Notwithstanding all of the above; whatever the government ( Musharraf ) did is wrong. One must have the tolerance to accept criticism even though it is unfair and over the limit. You cannot stop what people think by blacking out the news channels.

Quote
Sunn to sahee jehan main hai tera fasana kia, kehti hai tujh to khalq-e- Khuda ghaibana kia ( Urdu writen in Roman)
Unquote

I agree with Aitzaz Ahsan on one point only, that Mushy is a defeated general. However, I repeat my assertion that Pakistani politicians are willing to shoot themselves in both the feet if it means that Musharraf will get hurt in one foot. IMO this is crazy.

Relating to your conclusion I'd put it in this way again that I cannot agree with the way GEO conducted itself since the CJ issue went on to the Emergency. However EVEN if it's propaganda they are ensuing then you should try and make people not watch them by choice. Meaning fight their propaganda.

However by closing down Mushy has validated them in a very strong way. Even if it's propaganda, it's allowed unless their lies are proven in court. That is free speech.

I'm reminded of that line (by... my guess is Ben Franklin): "I do not agree with what you say but I will fight to my death for your right to say it!"

 

[niaz]

Relating to your conclusion I'd put it in this way again that I cannot agree with the way GEO conducted itself since the CJ issue went on to the Emergency. However EVEN if it's propaganda they are ensuing then you should try and make people not watch them by choice. Meaning fight their propaganda.

However by closing down Mushy has validated them in a very strong way. Even if it's propaganda, it's allowed unless their lies are proven in court. That is free speech.

I'm reminded of that line (by... my guess is Ben Franklin): "I do not agree with what you say but I will fight to my death for your right to say it!"

Just for the record, that is a quote by Voltaire, one of the greatest of all Frenchmen.

My regards to you Sir.

 

[Spring Onion]

You may take our lives, but you'll never take our freedom!
-- William Wallace, Braveheart

"It is not the fact of liberty but the way in which liberty is exercised that ultimately determines whether liberty itself survives".---- Dorthy Thompson