ISLAMABAD:
A parliamentary panel has asked the Ministry of Information to chalk out a plan to make the Pakistan Television (PTV) financially stable and also to explore other revenue streams for the state-owned television, which has been in dire straits for quite some time.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting met under the chairmanship of MNA Pullain Baloch at the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) headquarters on Monday.
The committee while discussing the present state of the PTV opined that an inquiry should be conducted to identify reasons and people responsible for bringing the network to its present state where it was finding it difficult to pay salaries to its employees.
It was of the view that it could not see a historic institution dying down.
Minister for Information Atta Tarar apprised the committee that a comprehensive marketing strategy had been prepared and overhauling of the entire PTV was being carried out to reduce financial burden.
He said sports rights of the International and local cricket tournaments had been acquired for revenue generation. “The release of grants by the government will ease the payment of its financial obligations.”
The committee, while taking up an agenda related to Pemra directed it to pursue approval of its rules from the cabinet committee for disposal of legislative cases.
It said regulating web-TVs and OTT platforms was imperative for providing a level playing field for the traditional and legacy broadcast services including entertainment and news channels.
The committee was also of the view that strict adherence to the religious and social norms was imperative and it could not be achieved in absence of a regulatory framework.
