Accusations of pumping money into Pakistan media 'misleading': US

ISLAMABAD: The US today described as "inaccurate or misleading" the accusations that America is pumping money into the Pakistani media and said it provides funding to a broad range of organisations to facilitate professional development and capacity building activities.

"There have been numerous inaccurate or misleading statements in the media recently regarding United States funding for Pakistani media outlets," the American Embassy here said in a statement.

"The United States Embassy provides funding and support to a broad range of Pakistani organisations, including media outlets, to facilitate professional development and capacity building activities," it said.

The Embassy added that the US government strongly supports vibrant, professional, and independent media in Pakistan as it does worldwide.

The US government assistance supports Pakistan's media sector broadly, to include a range of print, broadcast, and radio formats, it said.

The US funds capacity building in the form of archiving capabilities, opportunities for journalists to develop their professional skills in the United States through exchange programmes, and educational and training opportunities for journalists, editors, and producers, it added.

The statement stressed that these programmes are not targeted to any one media group, are geared to supporting the community of journalists as a whole, and aid the efforts of journalists to pursue balanced reporting and accurate messaging on events in Pakistan and elsewhere.

"Suggestions to the contrary are inaccurate, and aim to mislead," it said.