Dubbed foreign content is harming our drama industry:PTI

Lahore: All Pakistani major entertainment channels are gradually increasing the ratio of foreign and Urdu dubbed content during prime time slots leading towards collapse of local self-developed and flourishing drama industry. The government should provide protection to its own local drama industry as happens in the rest of the countries worldwide. Policies have been made which are ambiguous, with no input from the stakeholders themselves, this will lead to imminent loss of millions of rupees investment as production houses were likely to be shut down gradually with the rise of foreign or Urdu dubbed content on channels.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf strongly objects the airing of foreign content during prime time on national private TV channels and demands that Pakistan Electric Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) should strictly monitor TV channels and cable operators and take prompt action regarding the issue. PTI expresses solidarity with the local industry’s demand to ban foreign content which is infiltrating our society. PEMRA must take immediate action to regularize the influx of foreign and dubbed content on national private TV channels as it is directly affecting the local TV production industry with a fear of it to be extinct if not protected by the government on priority basis. It is unfortunate that no steps have been taken so far to protect our local film and drama industry. PTI urges that PEMRA’s code of ethics should strictly be enforced and the authority should also revisit its rules about landing rights. PEMRA should include United Producers Association as a permanent stakeholder during formulation of any policy directly and indirectly affecting the local TV production industry.

While India has a state ban on Pakistani channels and content, Pakistan’s drama industry has held its ground in the face of competition. But what it needs is a level playing field, with a united Team Pakistan comprising all its stakeholders. We need to compel our own people to build their industries, guarding our cultural heritage and yet, keep their windows open to reach out to the world with their own products. We should keep in mind that local productions are also connected to our economy. A huge number of people are associated with this industry. Broadcast of too much foreign content on TV channels will ruin the careers of people associated with the drama industry. Let us save our drama industry from foreign influence before it is too late.