Talking Covers: media

Showing posts with label media. Show all posts

Friday, 20 June 2014

Twitter moves to beef up video sharing on social media

NEW YORK: Twitter said Thursday it has bought SnappyTV, a California firm that lets people edit and share clips from TV broadcasts.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

SnappyTV, launched in 2010, has been collaborating with Twitter to "inject the best video content into Twitter´s real-time conversation, straight from the TV to your mobile device," Twitter said on its official blog.

Twitter added: "While we continue to invest in SnappyTV´s product and integrate it more tightly with Twitter, we also plan to maintain our partners´ ability to post high-quality videos to other platforms."

"As Twitter has grown as the companion to live events and broadcast media, SnappyTV will help partners and brands bring the best videos into the conversation, when it matters most," Twitter added.

Since the beginning of the year Twitter has been on a shopping spree, in particular for TV audience rating firms or social media advertising companies. These include the US firm Gnip, Mesagraph of France and Britain´s SecondSync.

Monday, 9 June 2014

Egypt govt to quit, Sisi to make cabinet changes: media

CAIRO: Egypt´s military-installed government was due to resign Monday, with new President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expected to make changes to the cabinet on his first day in office, media reported.

The ex-army chief was sworn in on Sunday, nearly a year after ousting elected president Mohamed Morsi after millions protested against the Islamist´s divisive one year rule.

"The cabinet ended its last meeting on Monday morning ... during which it prepared its letter of resignation to be presented to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi," state news agency MENA reported.

Egyptian newspapers reported that Sisi is expected to ask interim prime minister Ibrahim Mahlab to continue in his post, but could make minor changes to the cabinet.

The government installed by Sisi, who has been the de facto leader since he ousted Morsi, has carried out a brutal crackdown on the former president´s Muslim Brotherhood in which more than 1,400 people have been killed and thousands more jailed.

Hours after his inauguration, Sisi, in a warning to the now blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood, said there will be "no leniency and truce with those who resort to violence".

"I am looking to a new era built on reconciliation and tolerance.. except with those who committed crimes or used violence as a tool," he said on Sunday in his first national address as president.

"I am saying clearly that those who shed the blood of the innocent and killed ... the sons of Egypt, they don´t have a place in (our) march."

At his inauguration, Western countries alarmed by the brutal police crackdown on dissent were represented mostly by low-level representatives.

Sisi becomes Egypt´s second elected president since a popular uprising overthrew longtime strongman Hosni Mubarak in 2011, unleashing more than three years of political turmoil.

Saturday, 7 June 2014

World media bodies, rights watchdog slam Geo’s closure

WASHINGTON/PARIS/ISLAMABAD: Rights watchdog Amnesty International and international media organisations on Friday condemned the suspension of Geo News licence by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and termed it politically-motivated and an attack on the freedom of press.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the Pemra’s decision and termed it politically motivated and against the commitments made to it by the Nawaz government. “We are troubled by the decision by Pakistan’s regulator to suspend the Geo News’ licence,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.

“The move to shut down one of Pakistan’s largest media outlets is short-sighted and politically motivated and runs counter to the spirit of commitments Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made to the CPJ,” the CJO statement said.

A CPJ delegation met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in April and secured commitments to combat risks to journalists in Pakistan. Other US-based news organisations also expressed their shock and decried the Pemra decision.

Reporters Without Borders condemned Friday’s decision by the Pemra to suspend all broadcasting by the Geo News for 15 days.

The decision was taken in response to a Defence Ministry’s complaint to Pemra, accusing Geo News of waging a “vicious campaign, libelous and scandalous in nature” after its star talk show presenter Hamid Mir was badly injured in a targeted shooting on 19th April.

“Suspending a TV station’s licence is a grave violation of freedom of information especially when it is the country’s leading news channel,” Reporters Without Borders said.

The suspension follows a major smear campaign against Geo News that began after it broadcast claims that the intelligence agencies were behind the attack on Mir. Both the defence ministry and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) responded by accusing the Geo News of being “anti-state.”

On 20th May, several Pemra members ordered the closure of Geo News and two of its sister channels, Geo Tez and Geo Entertainment, and the withdrawal of their licences, but they were immediately overruled by other Pemra members.

Amnesty International said the Pakistan government’s suspension of Geo TV, the country’s largest private broadcaster, was a politically motivated attack on the freedom of expression and the media.

“The suspension of Geo TV is a serious attack on press freedom in Pakistan. It is the latest act in an organised campaign of harassment and intimidation targeting the network on account of its perceived bias against the military,” said Amnesty International’s Asia Director Richard Bennett in a statement on Friday.

“The Pakistani authorities must immediately reverse this ban. If there are concerns about the content of Geo TV broadcasts, the authorities should address this in line with international human rights standards – not simply move to silence a critical voice.

“The suspension of Geo TV sadly fits an all too familiar pattern in Pakistan. State authorities and other political actors use any means they can to silence critical reporting, from the use of anti-state and anti-religion provisions of the law to physical attacks and violence,” said Richard Bennett.

In a report released on 30 April, Amnesty International documented how media workers in Pakistan live under the constant threat of harassment, violence and killings from a range of state and non-state actors.

Several Jang Media Group journalists have told the Amnesty International that they have received daily threats and harassment by unknown individuals by phone and in person.Many said they dare not enter their offices or identify themselves as belonging to Geo TV or other Jang Media Group outlets for fear of being attacked.“Pakistan’s vibrant media scene deserves better protection, and journalists must be able to carry out their legitimate work without fear or interference,” said Richard Bennett.

Friday, 6 June 2014

C’wealth media body concerned over attacks on Jang, Geo Writes to PM Nawaz

LONDON: Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) President Rita Payne has written a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressing concern on targeting the Geo TV and Jang Group.

According to a press release, Payne said during the past few weeks, many incidents of attacks on the media in Pakistan have surfaced. Attack on Geo TV anchor Hamid Mir in Karachi and torture on resident editor, Jang Multan, are aimed to muffle the voices of rivals, which is a cause of concern for the CJA.

Payne said she understands that it was time when journalists and editors would cross the line between reporting and intentional commentary on an issue. She said the hard-won freedom of press in Pakistan needs to be protected. She appealed to Nawaz to make sure protection of the media against torture and pressure.

Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Media house can't rig elections: FAFEN chief

KARACHI: Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) chief Mudassar Rizvi said that only those who have the power and authority could rig elections, media couldn’t do it.

Briefing journalists about election reforms at the Karachi Press Club, FAFEN chief, Syed Mudassar Rizvi and FAFEN member Sarwar Bari urged upon the political parties to immediately start debating over the issue in a bid to give a collective shape to the scattered electoral laws and facilitating the holding of transparent elections.

He said that all the members of the Election Commission should be appointed for one year and besides including two females, the tribal areas and Islamabad should also be given representation in the Commission.

He further said that the Election Commission should have the legal justification for all of its actions and should have not only the power and authority to issue directives to the administration, but to punish those failing to comply.

Syed Mudassar Rizvi said that the biometric system should be tested, but its enforcement at this point of time would not be wise.

Responding to a question relating to the allegation of a media house rigged elections, Syed Mudassar Rizvi said that only those who have the power and authority could rig elections, a media house couldn’t do it.

Sunday, 25 May 2014

Any action against freedom of media ‘unacceptable’: CPNE

QUETTA: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) Standing Committee has announced that suspension of licence of any TV channel and declaration of any newspaper would be intolerable, Geo News reported.

The CPNE committee issued its statement after meeting here Sunday. It asserted that any action against freedom of media would be unacceptable at any cost.

The meeting deeply reviewed the situation, emerged after attack on Geo News anchorperson Hamid Mir.

It expressed concerned over coverage pertaining to DG ISI and called upon all the media organization to ensure implementation on code of conduct.

The statement further says despite the plea of Defence Minister was being heard in the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), cable operators had shut down Geo TV transmission in various areas, adding hurdles were being put in the circulation of Daily Jang newspaper as well.

The CPNE termed all such actions illegal and demanded action against those responsible.

The meeting also showed its concerns over media houses infighting.

World media body warns of taking Geo issue to UN, EU

PARIS: International organisation Reporters Without Borders has expressed grave concern over the illegal closure of Geo TV in different cities of Pakistan, warning that if the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) did not stop unilateral action against Jang and Geo, they would raise the issue at the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU).
The Reporters Without Borders Asia Desk in-charge has said that a remedy must be found to counter the dangers faced by the staff of Jang and Geo.

“In our view, the prime minister and the government must take some solid steps to provide protection to journalists. We have already reacted to the notice issued by Pemra to Geo,” he said.

In an interview with this correspondent in Paris, he said, “In Pakistan there are laws and an authority to regulate the media and they should work in accordance with the prescribed rules, and the rules should be implemented in accordance with democratic principles. It is totally against principles if five members of Pemra recommend the closure of Jang and Geo. Moreover, it is never commendable to threaten the media on one pretext or the other. We are reviewing the situation in the wake of pressure on Geo and the Jang Group from different angles.”

He said: “It is more than one month but no progress seems to have been made in the assassination bid on senior anchorperson Hamid Mir. People should be kept on board in this connection. We are waiting for the report of the commission in this regard.”

He said that he was confident that the Supreme Court would provide justice to Jang and Geo. He said that they were much concerned with the situation.

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Politicians, media, military all committed mistakes, Senate told

ISLAMABAD: Information Secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Mushahidullah Khan on Friday cautioned in the Senate that “no channel will remain open if Geo was shut down”.
Speaking in the House on a motion moved by the opposition senators to discuss the latest political situation, the PML-N legislator also insisted that the media should forge unity in their ranks, or the freedom they had won by rendering sacrifices, would go back to those forces from whom it was won.

The senator acknowledged the struggle rendered by Geo and the Jang Group. “Those whose policies led to the martyrdom of thousands of military men, civilians and got the Lal Masjid attacked should not be punished but Geo should be shut down,” the senator caustically observed.

He said it was too much to display the image of the ISI chief and resort to the allegations and added the derogatory content about the Ahle Bait was also highly condemnable. He contended that all, including politicians, the media, intelligence agencies and military generals, made mistakes and referred to the Kargil war during which he claimed that 3,000 soldiers were martyred. “All commit mistakes but it does not mean that the one who made a mistake should be crushed,” he said.

Mushahidullah contended some institutions have had their own mechanism of accountability but it should be seen being implemented. “No one asked Musharraf till now about the Kargil debacle but Hamid Mir, who received six bullets in his body, is being ridiculed,” he maintained.

The PML-N lawmaker said that whatever today was happening was being done by the supporters of Musharraf, who might be in the media, or living in Canada, Bani Gala or Lal Haveli. “When all targetted Geo, the leader of a political party Bahadur Khan also stepped in,” he noted.

Later, winding up the debate, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch alleged that Musharraf and his supporters and politically immature persons wanted to sneak into power corridors.

The minister was confident that the government was in a position to resolve the media issue immediately but would wait since it was sub-judice. He claimed those on the look to see packing up of the democratic set-up would be disappointed soon.

He assured the House that the issue would not be dragged for long and said the government, masses and the armed forces were fully aware of the challenges and the events that had recently taken place in India, Afghanistan.

PML-Q Senator Rubina Irfan, earlier, said the attack on Hamid Mir was condemnable and presenting on TV the head of top spy agency for eight hours was even more condemnable. PPP’s Senator Sardar Ali Khan said that the statement of finance minister to reduce taxes if the Ministry of Defence cuts the defence budget was uncalled for and provocative.

He alleged the government was following policy of confrontation with the State institutions. He asked the government to move for a patch-up and reconciliation vis-a-vis the media crisis. The bill to amend the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee was unanimously passed. It would allow Islamabad High Court chief justice to also be a part of the Judicial Commission. Similarly, the House also adopted a bill to repeal the Federal Court Act, 1937.

Friday, 23 May 2014

Fazl calls for code of conduct for media, freedom of expression

QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has stated that the owners and journalist organizations should chalk out a code of conduct for media and freedom of expression, Geo News reported.

Speaking to media at Quetta airport, Fazl said media should consider the values of religion and culture, adding it should not be used as an instrument to vilify others.

Commenting on peace talks, Maulana Fazl said he had predicted from the very first day of this process that it would not bring fruit, adding talks process was used as justification for action.

He further said the operation was more against the common people and less against the terrorists.

Fazl calls for code of conduct for media, freedom of expression

QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has stated that owners and journalist organizations should chalk out a code of conduct for media and freedom of expression, Geo News reported.

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Govt can terminate Pemra members for violating rules: Media Commission member

ISLAMABAD: Javed Jabbar, a member of the Media Commission formed by the Supreme Court, said on Tuesday the meeting of its private members had put the Pemra to ridicule once again.
He said the decision of private members was illegal and against the Pemra Ordinance. He said the members could be terminated by the government for violating the rules. The father of Pemra Ordinance, Javed Jabbar, said Pemra had no legal authority as it lacked a chairman. He said the private members had adopted an indecent way to violate their authority.

He said this act of private members could not be condemned enough. He said such an important decision needed participation of the majority and not mere quorum. Javed Jabbar said making such decisions without granting appropriate time was not right. He said Pemra should have taken notice of the one-sided and illegal campaign being run against Geo explicitly and implicitly.

He said Pemra should have taken notice of the fact that Geo transmission was delayed by putting pressure on cable operators.He said he condemned this act and hoped that the court of law would take a stern action on it if the matter was put before it. He said he has had reservations about the role of the media and on this subject, he had already written in Jang and The News. But this doesn’t mean that the licence of Geo may be terminated and a campaign is launched following a certain agenda.

He said the way other channels launched a campaign against Geo was indecent and improper. Pemra should take notice of it, which it unfortunately has not, he said.Javed Jabbar said after the statement of the official spokesperson of Pemra on the matter, no legal authority whatsoever could be attached to this meeting of five members. They have made fun of themselves, he said.

He said Pemra should act independently and impartially. He said the government reserves the right to terminate these five members for taking such an illegal step as holding the meeting in question.

Monday, 5 May 2014

Any move against voice of media to be resisted

LAHORE: PFUJ President Rana Azeem said any move meant to silence the voice of the media would be resisted.
Speaking at an event organised by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists at a local hotel here on Sunday, he said as the elected president of the PFUJ, he would set up a four-member committee which would accelerate contacts with journalists throughout the country to get them united against any move against media freedom.

The senior journalist said the entire community held the armed forces and security agencies in great esteem, but, at the same time, demanded that the assailants of Hamid Mir be dealt with according to the law.

He said no curbs against any media groups including Geo, was acceptable to the journalists community of Pakistan. The event was also addressed by Abdul Hameed Chhaapra and Nasir Naqvi. Other senior journalists were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ameerul Azim, rejecting curbs on Geo and said banning a TV channel is tantamount to restricting millions of people’s access to information.

Speaking at an event organised by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists at a local hotel here on Sunday, he said access to information was the right of every citizen and no one could be deprived of it. He said once all journalists get united, no one could even think of banning any media group.

Moves on to weaken independent media, democracy

ISLAMABAD: The intriguing but matching timing of an attack on the most influential media group in Pakistan — the Jang/Geo Group — and the street agitation of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) have raised many eyebrows here.

This situation raises the fundamental question of whether the stage is being set to hurt the democratic process and make the civilian leadership dance to the tune of the military establishment.

On the one hand the independent media is being muzzled through coercion, division and harassment; on the other people are being encouraged to come onto the streets to express their discontent with the system.

In a calculated fashion, the post-Hamid Mir attack scenario is being created in a manner where Geo and the Jang Group are portrayed as anti-army and anti-Pakistan. Such a manoeuvre would help discredit the most influential media house of the country, which is known for its contribution towards the rule of law, the upholding of the Constitution, democracy and an independent judiciary.

Damaging the Geo and Jang Group means hitting the freedom of the press in Pakistan and making it so vulnerable that the media cannot effectively serve as a protector of democracy, the independent judiciary and the rule of law. During recent weeks, certain players of the military establishment have already succeeded in badly dividing, like never before, the media of Pakistan.

With such serious divisions being created within the Pakistani media, political entities like the PTI, PML-Q and PAT etc. are already out to support the Pakistan Army and the ISI in what has been smartly created as a fight between the army and the Jang Group despite the latter’s repeated statements that it respects the institutions of the Pakistan Army and ISI.

Some proscribed organisations have also been pushed to hold demonstrations to get the Jang-Geo Group discredited.While such efforts are continuing to weaken the independent media in Pakistan through “tamed media” and “political allies”, the political situation of the country is also being vitiated through street agitations and protests. Though the announcement of the PTI and PAT protest campaigns from May 11, 2014 seem disconnected, not many believe this. Already discussions are under way if Imran and Qadri could join hands for the “reformation” of the system. The PML-Q is also expected to join in.

As against the serious doubts about the PAT linkages with the military establishment, Imran Khan’s PTI had better credentials till recently when it surprised all and sundry initially by reiterating the ISI’s serious charges against the Jang/Geo group. It furthered such doubts by levelling what could be termed as hilarious allegations of rigging on the Jang and Geo group and announcing to hold a rally on May 11 in Islamabad. May 11 is also the countrywide demonstration day for the PAT.

Leading political parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP), have already lashed out at the PTI for its call to protest against the alleged rigging at this point of time.

The PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said Imran Khan’s move to resort to protest the alleged rigging was incomprehensible after one year of the elections. The PPP leader said it was his party’s formal stance that it will not become part of any protest rallies. Many in the PPP see it as an effort to derail the democratic system.

According to media reports, the PPP leaders held in-depth discussions on the protest politics of the PTI and ongoing rallies in the country aimed at destabilising the elected government. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah was also quoted to have said in a press talk that those who were used to bring out sponsored rallies in the past are now active and it is not a good omen for the country. Shah added that these rallies are being sponsored and not being taken out on their own as those who are behind these rallies have their own agenda.

The ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the PTI chief Imran Khan should not indulge in the politics of opportunism. The PML-N leader and Punjab Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah is quoted to have said that the PTI and PAT have planned to launch an agitation movement on ‘someone’s’ directives.

Pledge to defend media freedom

LAHORE: The final day of the three-day-long All Pakistan Women Journalists Convention (APWJC) drew to a close on Sunday with a declaration, authored by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), on the rights of female and male journalists in the country.
Addressing a gathering of woman journalists and anchors here at the Lahore Press Club, the PFUJ board members announced the declaration, written after two days of APWJC sessions at a local hotel and parallel PFUJ sessions at the press club.

The declaration, on behalf of the PFUJ and participating journalists, condemns the attacks on media persons and cameramen in Pakistan. It calls for special security measures to protect journalists reporting in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), Balochistan and Karachi. It also condemns infighting between media outlets and notes the killing of 134 journalists in Pakistan since 1992. The declaration demands of media outlets to ensure that economic rights of employees, including decent wages and insurance cover, are respected, compensation to employees including cameramen and reporters in case of injuries is paid, insurance of cameras belonging to Pakistani cameramen is guaranteed. Other demands include complete freedom of speech for all Pakistani journalists, withdrawal of criminal charges levelled against Baloch journalists, implementation of the 8th Wage Board Award for newspaper workers, trade unions in media outlets, endowment fund for all Pakistani journalists and media workers, and investigation into the verbal and written death threats facing Pakistani journalists.

Another session titled ‘Women Journalists’ Role in Trade Unions and Press Clubs’ was held with PFUJ President Afzal Butt in the chair, under the auspices of the APWJC. A large number of journalists participated in the session.

Afzal Butt told the gathering that he would move a constitutional amendment in the National Press Club, Islamabad, to reserve four senior seats in the press council for woman journalists. These include the post of vice-president, assistant secretary general, and two positions in the governing body.

Butt said the country was passing through a critical phase currently. He said the journalist bodies were making all-out efforts for winning rights for the print and electronic media workers and getting their jobs regularised. He said he was really happy to see such a large number of woman journalists at the convention. He promised that today’s demands would be made part of the PFUJ charter.

Afzal Butt suggested forming harassment committees in all media organisations, offices and press clubs. He said separate committees would be set up in offices and CBA. After consultation with press club governing bodies, committees would be formed and more women would be given representation in those committees.

He mentioned the incident of a female anchor whose salary was reduced by a television channel when she availed leave after the death of her husband. He condemned this kind of inconsiderate attitude of the male bosses in the media outlets.

Afzal Butt said that despite a severe shortage of funds, the convention was organised successfully and at least Rs 60-70 lakh were spent on the event. He praised the LPC for hosting such a historic event.

The PFUJ president also praised Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) senior member Hussain Naqi for contributing towards the fight for press freedom in the country. Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari said it was heartening to note that the first woman journalists’ convention was being held in Lahore. He said such a large number of journalists had never gathered at one place in the history of Pakistan. He termed Saturday’s rally historic. He said the rally footage in TV bulletins showed participation of such a large number of journalists as if a big political party had been holding a rally. He said the journalists bodies were not fighting for any particular media organisation but for the rights of all journalists and media workers. He said that clean and good journalism was directly linked to the economic prosperity of journalists.

Arshad Ansari said that during 2012, the largest number of woman journalists were given LPC membership, which was a historic event.

The woman journalists congratulated the PFUJ for addressing the concerns of women in the media and hosting the first convention for them. The PFUJ former vice president and board member, Fauzia Rana, expressed her hope for an effective implementation of the recommendations regarding working woman journalists in Pakistan. Shazia Mansoor, a female anchorperson who was barred from attending the convention by her bureau chief, attended Sunday’s session and said all woman journalists must assert themselves both within and outside their offices.

Friedrich Naumann Foundation representative Dr Almut Besold said the world was aware of the problems facing Pakistan currently. She said Pakistani journalists’ sacrifices for freedom of press were commendable.

LPC Joint Secretary Farzana Chaudhry said on the occasion women journalists should gather courage and raise their voice for their rights. She said women’s representation in press clubs and journalist bodies was a welcome sign. However, women should not be restricted to only reserved seats and they should be encouraged to contest on open seats. Farzana said woman journalists should also contest for press club president and secretary seats and they should be provided better opportunities in this regard.

Prominent personalities attending Sunday’s session included PFUJ General Secretary Khurshid Abbasi, LPC General Secretary Shahbaz Mian, Karachi Press Club President Imtiaz Ahmed Faraan, All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC) Chairman Shafi Uddin Ashraf, senior journalists Nasira Zubairi, Farida Hafeez and Muhammad Saleem Chaudhry, Balochistan Union of Journalists President Irfan Saeed, and Punjab Union of Journalists President Waseem Farooq. Visiting female journalist delegations departed for their cities after the conference programme concluded.

Later, prominent journalists were given awards for their services. Senior journalist Hussain Naqi distributed shields among media persons.

Sunday, 4 May 2014

Obama jokes about Putin, media at correspondents' dinner

U.S. President Barack Obama smiles while making a joke during his speech at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday, May 3, 2014, in Washington.

AP U.S. President Barack Obama smiles while making a joke during his speech at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday, May 3, 2014, in Washington.

U.S. President Barack Obama poked fun at his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Republicans and media elites, and even mocked himself for his administration’s disastrous health care policy rollout at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner on Sunday.

Mr. Obama, donning the role of comedian-in-chief, poked fun at himself over his signature policy initiative and refereed to the technical glitch experienced by healthcare.gov this year. “In 2008 my slogan was, ‘Yes we can.’ In 2013, it was control+alt+delete.”

Mr. Obama was at his oratorical best as he enthralled over 2,500 audiences, which included celebrities, politicians and American journalists at the WHCA’s 100th anniversary.

First Lady Michelle Obama accompanied him to the annual tradition that has the President mocking others and himself.

The 52-year-old U.S. President then turned to Fox news and said the TV channel would have a tough time in opposing Hillary Clinton, if she runs for 2016 presidential.

“Let’s face it, Fox. You will miss me when I am gone. It will be harder to convince the American people that Hillary was born in Kenya.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin too was at the receiving end of Mr. Obama’s wit, notwithstanding the Ukraine crisis. He cracked jokes about Mr. Putin being headed for a Nobel Peace Prize. “To be fair, they give those to just about anybody these days,” said Mr. Obama, a laureate himself.

He also turned the humour on Republican party saying the opposition brought in experts to learn how to talk to women.

“Both sides are doing whatever it takes to win - a ruthless game. Republicans, this is a true story. Republicans actually brought in a group of consultants to teach their candidates how to speak to women. This is true. And I don’t know if it will work with women, but I understand that America’s teenage boys are signing up to run for the Senate in droves.”

The President, who has completed nearly half of his second innings at the White House, also joked about opposition being busy attempting to repeal “Obamacare”.

“Of course, there is one thing that keeps Republicans busy. They have tried more than 50 times to repeal Obamacare.

Despite that, 8 million people signed up for health care in the first open enrollment which does lead one to ask, how well does Obamacare have to work before you don’t want to repeal it?” he said.

Mr. Obama recalled his days in office and the difficulties he faced last year and also mentioned the presidential election in 2016.

“It is strange to think that I have just two-and-a-half years left in this office. Everywhere I look, there are reminders that I only hold this job temporarily. But it is a long time between now and 2016, and anything can happen. You may have heard the other day Hillary had to dodge a flying shoe at a press conference,” Mr. Obama said as the slide showed Biden holding a shoe. “I love that picture.”

The dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel has often come at key moments in the U.S. President’s presidency. In 2011, it came a day before Osama bin Laden was killed. Last year, the deadly Boston Marathon happened nearly two weeks before the dinner. This year, the Ukraine crises eclipses the WHCA event.