By Farrukh Siddiqui
Editor, State of Pakistan blog
One of the objectives of Kerry-Lugar aid bill for aid to Pakistan is to “support for promotion of a responsible, capable,and independent media.”
According to this RT TV broadcast of March 10, 2010, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UQCki_nC9c , the US government planned to spend $50 million on this objective. According to another report dated Feb. 27, 2010 by the examiner , “the Obama administration plans to spend nearly $50 million on Pakistani media this year to reverse anti-American sentiments and raise awareness of projects aimed at improving quality of life, confirms a Washington insider. “
The history of collaboration between the agencies of the US government and some “ independent “ Pakistani media organizations is old. But more recently it was GEO TV that went public with jointly produced programs with Voice of America.
The following press release dated Nov. 13, 2005 ( http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/pakistan/h05111301.html) of the US Embassy in Islmamabad is self-explanatory:
VOA Launches Urdu TV ForPakistan
11/13/2005 Washington, D.C. – The Voice of America (VOA) will launch Beyondthe Headlines-its new television program in Urdu-on Monday, Nov. 14. Thehalf-hour program will air on GEO TV in Pakistan at 7:30 p.m. Monday throughFriday and on selected international satellites, including AsiaSat (VirtualChannel 409) and IOR (Virtual Channel 420). …..
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