Ten PTV channels soon, says minister

ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: Drastic changes, including setting up of a credible and independent current affairs department and increasing the number of PTV channels to 10, will be made to improve working of Pakistan Television , Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said here on Saturday.

He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of uplinking of four PTV channels - PTV-1, PTV-World, PTV-National and PTV- Channel-3 - at the Asia Sat 3S (105.5 E) through Multiple Channel Per Carrier (MCPC) Digital Platform here at the Studios of the PTV World.

The ceremony was telecast live on all the four channels. Secretary information and PTV chairman Syed Anwar Mahmood and PTV managing director Akhtar Waqar Azeem were also present on the occasion.

The minister said the new current affairs department would be made so credible and independent that the viewers would have complete trust in its news.

"The incident of September 11 has amplified the importance of electronic media and now countries are investing billions in this medium to project their point of view," he observed.

"Realizing the importance of this medium, Pakistan also intends to increase the number of PTV channels to 10 from the existing four," he said. The launching of two new channels - PTV-Home and PTV-Entertainment - is possible within the PTV resources of PTV. However, for the other four channels, government's grants will be needed. A new channel, called PTV- AJK, will also be launched on February 5 on the Kashmir Day next year, he said.

The government has already extended a special grant of Rs420 million in addition to Rs260 million to revamp and modernize the PTV equipment. The credit for allowing the private electronic channels to operate locally also goes to Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali's government, the minister said.

With the uplinking of PTV channels to Asia Sat 3S, the PTV programmes can be viewed in 60 countries, he said.

The secretary information said special programmes would be arranged for the entertainment of viewers to mark PTV's 40 years of excellence. He also announced that the PTV also intended to launch 'Direct To Home (DTH)' technology in a similar fashion as did by "Doordarshan" (Indian channel) at a cost of Rs160 million.

Though PTV's DTH was in the initial stages, he said, the technology would not only be financially self reliant, but also provide better opportunities of entertainment.