Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday asked the Pakistan Television to present a healthy mix of quality programmes dealing with religion, news, sports and entertainment to enhance its viewership and carve a niche in the competitive market.
Addressing the conference of PTV General Managers here at the Prime Minister House, the Prime Minister asked the state television network to strive for excellence and to project Pakistan positively across the globe.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said media now enjoyed unprecedented freedom in the country and it was now up to them to present the facts to the masses and inform, entertain and educate them about all aspects of life.
The Prime Minister said the government was trying to change the direction of the way things were moving in the country and was committed to ensure transparency, good governance and merit in all spheres. "We are a group of professional and committed people striving to take the country forward," he added.
He further said there was a large segment that desired to see religious programmes and asked the PTV to cater to such viewers by beaming interactive programmes that answer their queries.
Aziz said Islam is a religion for the humanity and brought a message of peace, brotherhood and tolerance that needs to be highlighted. He also called for a focused approach towards sports, entertainment and educational programmes to attract more viewers.
"Just remember that the viewers have the remote control and have the option to switch over if they do not like what you are presenting." He also called for better news and current affairs programmes. "I would like to see more research and analytical news besides human interest stories," he added.
He said there was a need for having more specialists in specific areas to report and present an analytical view on the current issues. The Prime Minister said 60 percent of country's population lived in the rural areas and there was a requirement for better informative and educational programmes for this segment.
"They need to be informed about agro services and incentives by the government and the advancements," he added. He asked the senior officials of PTV for a SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats - analysis to plan for the future challenges in a better way. The Prime Minister recalled the PTV tele-plays in the past that were a must-see for the viewers and said the channel has the talent and the ability to produce more such quality plays.
He also noted that the PTV was no more using English programmes and had lost the viewership that watched such shows. He further said he was very proud of PTV, as it was a powerful brand, with the best people. He however said that he expects results and output and asked them to work with dedication and be more proactive.
Secretary Information Shahid Rafi said the three-day General Manager's Conference was aimed at striving for the best and said it was pursuing an Open Door policy to provide better news, views and entertainment to the people. He informed the Prime Minister about the ambitious plan the national television network had made to attract more viewers by allowing more writers, producers and performers from the private sector.
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