Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has issued show-cause notice to Dawn Television after it aired the news of death of United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was suffering from COVID-19 and was in ICU.
According to the notice issued by regulatory body, Dawn TV aired news without any cross verification.
The show-cause notice ordered Dawn TV to air an apology within 7 days of issuance of the notice. In addition, PEMRA also directed channel’s CEO to appear in PEMRA Islamabad office for personal hearing or through any authorized representative. They also mentioned that the representative can join through Skype or WhatsApp call due to coronavirus conditions.
Dawn TV following fake BBC account on twitter
Meanwhile this blunder went international, the airing of wrong news of death of UK’s PM was pick up by India Today. An article written by Amanpreet Kaur reveals that Dawn TV was following a fake BBC twitter account. An account without the blue tick. The account had tweeted the news of death of UK’s PM which was aired without crosschecking or verification by Dawn TV.
(Editor’s Note: The phrase ‘Fake News’ is not a scientific term. If facts of information are inaccurate it cannot be called news in the first place. It would be categorized as misinformation or disinformation. othernews.pk has opted to use this phrase as the mass searches and prefers the term ‘Fake News.’)
