Pakistan Press Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) was established in 1967 by the news agency Pakistan Press International
and operated until 1974, when it had to suspend operations due to the political environment then prevailing in the country. It was reactivated in 1992 and has since been involved in assisting the development of independent media
in Pakistan by conducting training programmes for journalists, carrying out projects in research and documentation, and campaigning to defend and promote freedom of the press
.
PPF regularly organizes training programmes and seminars on issues facing the Pakistani media. The organization has worked for the improvement of professional skills, and in helping to raise journalists’ awareness of professional, social, political and human-rights issues.
The PPF collaborates with many local and international organizations, including the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Asia Foundation
, Panos
South Asia, IFEX
, Free Voice, UNESCO
, Commonwealth Press Union
(CPU), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Thomson Foundation, the British Council
, Knight International Foundation, National Endowment for Democracy
, European Union
, Freedom Forum
, World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), Council of Asian-Pacific Press Institutes (CAPPI) and the Asia-Pacific Communication Network.
In addition to capacity building, the PPF is committed to the promotion of freedom of the press
in Pakistan. PPF organizes training programmes on press freedom, the rights of journalists and on journalistic ethics. PPF has played a leading role in promoting the use of recently introduced access to information laws and in lobbying for improvement of these laws. PPF also works to make the harassment of journalists and news organizations politically and socially unacceptable. The foundation produces PPF Newsflash, a service designed to highlight threats to press freedom in the country. PPF also coordinates financial support for victimized journalists.
In 1999, the PPF established the PPF-Vicky Zeitlin Media Library and Training Centre, which houses an extensive collection of publications on the media and issues of interest to the Pakistani media. Training workshops and seminars are regularly held at the training centre.
The PPF is involved in research and documentation on mass communication in Pakistan. The weekly PPF Media Review, in English and Urdu, compiles important news about the media. PPF is also involved in producing manuals and handbooks on journalism in Urdu and Sindhi.
Pakistan Press International
Pakistan Press International is a news agency founded in June 1956 as Pakistan Press Association . The name was changed in 1968. It was first started by Mr. Muzzam Ali, the Chief Editor of Associated Press of Pakistan . The agency objective was to provide competition to APP's monopoly. It began...
and operated until 1974, when it had to suspend operations due to the political environment then prevailing in the country. It was reactivated in 1992 and has since been involved in assisting the development of independent media
Independent media
Independent media refers to any form of media, such as radio, television, newspapers or the Internet, that is free of influence by government or corporate interests. The term has varied applications...
in Pakistan by conducting training programmes for journalists, carrying out projects in research and documentation, and campaigning to defend and promote freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
.
PPF regularly organizes training programmes and seminars on issues facing the Pakistani media. The organization has worked for the improvement of professional skills, and in helping to raise journalists’ awareness of professional, social, political and human-rights issues.
The PPF collaborates with many local and international organizations, including the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Asia Foundation
Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization professing a commitment to "development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region." The Foundation supports Asian initiatives to improve governance, law, and civil society; women’s empowerment; economic reform...
, Panos
Panos
Panos may refer to:* Panagiotis, Panayiotis a Christian name.* Panos — a computer operating system used by some products of Acorn Computers in the 1980s* Panos Institute — a communications agency in the field of development...
South Asia, IFEX
International Freedom of Expression Exchange
The International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....
, Free Voice, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, Commonwealth Press Union
Commonwealth Press Union
-Commonwealth Press Union :The Commonwealth Press Union was an association composed of 750 members in 49 countries, including newspaper groups , individual newspapers, and news agencies throughout the Commonwealth of Nations...
(CPU), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Thomson Foundation, the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, Knight International Foundation, National Endowment for Democracy
National Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress...
, European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, Freedom Forum
Freedom Forum
The Freedom Forum was created in 1991 under the direction of Al Neuharth, former publisher of USA Today newspaper. Funding was provided by a foundation started by publisher Frank E. Gannett in 1935, called the Gannett Foundation...
, World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), Council of Asian-Pacific Press Institutes (CAPPI) and the Asia-Pacific Communication Network.
In addition to capacity building, the PPF is committed to the promotion of freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
in Pakistan. PPF organizes training programmes on press freedom, the rights of journalists and on journalistic ethics. PPF has played a leading role in promoting the use of recently introduced access to information laws and in lobbying for improvement of these laws. PPF also works to make the harassment of journalists and news organizations politically and socially unacceptable. The foundation produces PPF Newsflash, a service designed to highlight threats to press freedom in the country. PPF also coordinates financial support for victimized journalists.
In 1999, the PPF established the PPF-Vicky Zeitlin Media Library and Training Centre, which houses an extensive collection of publications on the media and issues of interest to the Pakistani media. Training workshops and seminars are regularly held at the training centre.
The PPF is involved in research and documentation on mass communication in Pakistan. The weekly PPF Media Review, in English and Urdu, compiles important news about the media. PPF is also involved in producing manuals and handbooks on journalism in Urdu and Sindhi.