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ISLAMABAD, Jan 28 (APP):Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Attaullah Tarar Tuesday emphasized the government’s efforts to enhance PTV’s financial sustainability through content improvement and increased advertisement revenue.
Responding to the queries of the National Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage in a meeting, the federal minister said that ten popular private-sector anchors, known for their high viewership, have been recruited to bolster PTV’s programming.
Tarar criticized the previous recruitment practices at PTV, which he described as biased and based on favoritism. He added that under his leadership, numerous low-rated shows were discontinued, and a merit-based hiring approach was adopted to attract top talent.
The newly hired anchors, with their significant viewership and recognition, are expected to draw higher ad revenues, contributing to PTV’s financial growth.
He shared that to incentivize the anchors’ contributions, a percentage (10-15%) of the advertisement-generated revenue would be allocated to them. This, he believes, will help ensure a sustainable financial model for PTV.
Tarar also expressed his views on the damaging effects of politically motivated recruitments in the past, stating that such practices have harmed the institution.
He mentioned that the ongoing degree verification process at PTV would be completed soon to ensure merit-based appointments and transparency.
Addressing concerns raised by Member of National Assembly, Sehar Kamran, regarding the delay in PTV employee salary payments, Tarar explained that a major payment for the ICC Champions Trophy rights had caused the delay. However, he said that salaries for groups 1-6 were paid by January 15, with the remaining payments to groups 6-9 cleared shortly thereafter.
In response to suggestions by the committee to allocate one or two hours of PTV’s programming for an educational show targeted at children, Secretary Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Ambreen Jan confirmed that the government is collaborating with organizations like the British Council and UNESCO to enhance digital education initiatives.
She also emphasized the importance of utilizing state resources effectively to deliver quality education to children via digital platforms.
On the topic of content regulation, Member of National Assembly, Asia Naz Tanoli, highlighted the need for censorship within the drama industry to align with societal values. In response, the committee proposed a meeting with major drama channels to establish a code of conduct, and a sub-committee led by Asia Naz Tanoli was suggested to advance this agenda.
The committee also received a detailed briefing on the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) revival plan and the measures being implemented to address “ghost” employees, with several cases already referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The committee praised PBC for becoming the first public department to fully digitalize its pension system.
The committee was also updated on the operations of the Pakistan Broadcasting Academy and plans to run Shalimar Recording and Broadcasting Company through a public-private partnership.
The meeting was attended by committee members including Kiran Imran Dar, Romina Khurshid Alam, Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, Seher Kamran, Sharmila Faruqui Hashaam, and Muhammad Moazzam Ali Khan.