A delegation of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) on Wednesday called on Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon at his office. The delegation was comprised of Secretary General of CPNE, Aamir Mehmood, Dr. Abdul Jabbar Khattak, Maqsood Yousufi, Saeed Khawar, Ghulam Nabi Chandio and Basheer Memon. On this occasion, Secretary Information Abdul Rasheed Solangi was also present.
The delegation apprised the Provincial about the problems faced by the print media, increase of the ratio of advertisements and payment of dues.
In the meeting, the officials of CPNE informed the Sindh Information Minister that after 18th amendment Information is a provincial subject now but yet many matters have not been devolled to the provincial government and they suggested that matter of devolution of Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) of the newspapers to the Provincial Government should be taken up with the Federal Government.
While assuring the addressing all problems of newspapers, Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon said that the PPP leadership has once again given him the responsibility of Sindh Information department for addressing the issues of media on priority.
He said that 80 percent of the payments have been made to the various media houses in the term of advertisements and the non-budgeted payments of newspapers would also be ensured. Provincial Minster Sharjeel Memon said that soon after assuming the charge of department, he had tasked information department to prepare new advertisement policy 2022. The new advertisement policy 2022 has been approved covering digital media. He informed that an advertisement for registration of digital media will be published in newspapers tomorrow (Thursday) adding that the budget for the print, electronic and digital media will be allocated.
