State media reconciles with 'survival of the fittest': why media rank high on development charter?
The media in Pakistan has opted for a strong pluralism - yes voluntarily. If there is one thing, Pakistanis cannot complain is availability of multiple choices in media viewing and listening.
The year 2002 will be remembered in the county as the landmark year of emerging media abundance with private television and cable channels and alternative media flooding people with more information, than they have been trained to handle in the past. The emerging media abundance in Pakistan coincides with restoration of civilian rules and a fairly broad based media policy. The media scene will keep on hotting up and become sustainable as it sheds more and more influence on people's opinions and choices.
The government in a very strange but welcome manner has accepted the reality. Instead of curbing the ever increasing impact of private sector media, the government has opened up the skies for international electronic broadcasters, given full freedom to print media and with utmost positivity set on strengthening the state media ie PTV and PBC. The state media has been given a mandate to develop its capacity of objectivity, fairness and impartiality to promote the values of peace in an age of media abundance. The onset of private TV channels has ended the monopoly of PTV and the FM radio stations, which have cropped up in a very challenging way.
This has definitely brought about a change in broadcast standards in the country. Two big changes have occurred: One the promulgation of access to information law in the year 2002 and permission of cross media ownership in the country in 2003. The government has been brave to accept the onslaught of media power. It has not reacted in coercive manner but has padded its own media to enter the arena of competition - the best way to survive.
The establishment of FM 100 radio channels in the private sector in the year 1994 and the start of its transmission in 1995 was a novel phenomenon in the history of the country. Then there had been a considerable growth of FM radio stations in the private sector.
The state again reacted positively by launching Pakistan Broadcasting Corporations' own FM 101 channel. It was quite amazing that the government perceived the challenge well in time and reacted accordingly to tap economic potential of FM broadcasting. Instead of broadcasting programmes nation-wide through a huge network, radio channels are moving towards localised set ups offering specialised services for different targeted audiences.
Pakistan has undergone rapid technological changes over the last two decades in the advancement of electronic media. The development of Mass Media cannot be attributed solely to the efforts of State as a number of other players have also contributed substantially in this field.
The Television and Radio Broadcasting has been a state monopoly ever since inception and they expanded side by side with the private sector and the International Broadcasters who entered into this area through satellite in early nineties. In transmission, the greatest impact on media environment has been popularity of satellite dishes, which provided people access to entertainment and international news channels.
Satellite dishes were very popular in the early 1990s, which was followed by cable TV networks that witnessed a mushroom growth throughout the country during the last 10 years. Currently, the people of Pakistan have free access to multiple entertainments and News Channels. On the Government side, a number of developments have also taken place, which contributed significantly in the expansion of this sector.
In the year 2002 Freedom of Information Act was introduced which is now in force and provides people the right to obtain un-classified official information. In the same year, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was established through an Ordinance which is now completely functional and licensing the private Radio & TV Stations and Cable Operators. More than 58 private FM Radio Stations are functioning in addition to 6 working in public sector. Besides, hundreds of cable operators throughout the country provide satellite TV channels to the viewers. The government has also allowed 15 TV channels in private sector, so far.
The number of radio receivers has risen to 9.4 per 100 as compared to 6.4 per 100 persons in 1980, number of TV receivers were 1.1 per 100 in 1980. Now they are 8.8 per 100 persons. But unfortunately the newspaper access has not increased because of low level of literacy, population growth and high cost of newspapers. The above scenario clearly manifest that media monopoly is a past story.
The globalisation of media has compelled state-owned media, the private sector and the international broadcaster to compete in the field with their fullest capabilities. The government has also chalked out a comprehensive long- term plan for the mass media, which could survive in a highly competitive environment and meet technological challenges of today and the future.
During the last six years a number of policy initiatives and development goals have been floated. The latest and current Plan, in force, is Media Term Development Framework, which in the form of a rolling plan accommodates successive Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDPs).
The thrust in the years ahead would be on expansion of Mass Media outreach, opening up of new radio and TV channels in private sector under a transparent mechanism, modernisation and updation of existing Radio and TV infrastructure in Public Sector and licensing the upcoming electronic media under the widely accepted codes of ethics and most desirable regulations through PEMRA. The Cabinet has put the cross media ownership policy in action recently. This is a direct reflection of the government's desire to encourage the Private Sector in nation building efforts through speedy flow of information to all segments of society.
MASS MEDIA AT A GALANCE:
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MEDIUM NUMBER
Local TV Channels 5
Radio Stations 25
FM Radio Station in Private Sector 58 (38 in process)
FM Radio Station in Public Sector 6
Dailies 1003
Weeklies 1649
Monthlies 2706
News Agencies 9
Regional Papers 60
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The financial outlay during the period 2005-10 is around Rs 5250 million for Mass Media sector in the Medium Term Development Framework. The allocation for the subsequent years has to be in the range of Rs 1000-1200 million in order to meet the requirement of the programme. The expenditure incurred during first year of the MTDF is meeting the ongoing portfolio and new projects for extending the coverage.
The up-gradation and modernisation of five PTV centers has been planned. This project will consume Rs 2.2 billion. This mainly includes installation of most modern studio equipment. OB vans, and earth stations for better connectivity and sending signals around the world. Some money has been spent for the restoration of earth quake damaged TV Station Muzaffarabad AJK. At present the government is running five TV channels namely; PTV-1, PTV World, STN PTV National and PTV Bolan.
The Shalimar Television Network has been recently privatised but still the government is holding 51 per cent shares and its policy is congruent to other channels. After the approval of the cross-media ownership by the Cabinet TV licenses has been issued to 15 private TV channels and therefore a great pressure has been mounted on Pakistan Television which is amicably meeting this challenge with vigor and new enthusiasms.
The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), the second major organ of government publicity is doing well despite old and obsolete equipment. It has very large infrastructure of transmitters and studios and through them propagating radio signal to every part of the country and around 40 countries by using overseas and external services. Also 06 FM channels are working in major cities and towns and this has covered a sizeable population. The PBC will continue this policy and in near future more FM stations will be established. The private sector is also very active and at present 58 FM stations are working and 38 FM stations are in the pipeline.
Appreciating the new trends in the broadcasting sector, the Government of Pakistan has embarked upon an ambitious long-term development programme. It has been planned to introduce state of the art technology in state television and radio.
Under an expanded programme of modernisation and up-gradation, the five television stations have been provided satellite earth stations and at least two studios at each TV station have been digitalized completely by providing most modern post production, recording and transmission equipment. In the radio sub-sector, the left out pockets have been provided with powerful transmitters to beam their signals to the neighbouring countries for a better communication of policies and messages of goodwill.
In the current budget an amount of Rs 534.2 million to the Mass Media sector against which the expected expenditure is Rs 522.4 million.
THE DETAILS OF SUB-SECTORAL ALLOCATIONS AND EXPENDITURE ARE GIVEN IN TABLE-I:
A handsome amount of Rs 834.437 million has been allocated for Mass Media Sector including Rs 742 million for PTV and Rs 92 million for Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.
The main thrust in the sector is on replacement of old and obsolete equipment and provision of TV signals to all parts of the country. There are still some areas/pockets where PTV signals cannot be received through terrestrial network, therefore, Rebroadcast Stations (RBS) are being set up in these areas. Under the balancing and modernisation programme of the current year, besides replacement of studio equipment at all the five TV Stations, main Out Broadcast (OB) Van for Karachi and Islamabad and mini OB Vans for Peshawar and Quetta will be fabricated. Rebroadcast Stations at the Mirpur and Bhimber will be constructed which are a component of TV production and transmission facilities at AJK project.
The RBS Shakargarh has been provided funds for completion. The TV Station building will be constructed at Multan. Civil works of the Rebroadcast Stations located in Northern Areas namely Alliabad/Karimabad, Chilas, Gahkuch, Khaplu, Jaglot/Boonji, Astore and Shigar will be taken up.
NEW REBROADCAST STATIONS AT THE FOLLOWING PLACES HAVE BEEN GIVEN FUNDS FOR ACQUISITION OF LAND AND DESIGNING WORK: Kotli Sattian, Talhar, Badin, Kharan, Kohat, Mian Channu, Bar Khan, Jura, Athmuqam, Sharda and Kel. In the radio sub-sector the replacement and up-gradation of equipment is the main objective. Moreover, emphasis is being placed on improving the world and external services. The ongoing project of Radio Station at Turbat will be completed.
The new projects of Balancing and Modernisation of Equipment, Phase-V for up-gradation of old and outdated studio equipment of PBC and replacement of two 50 KW short-wave transmitters by 100 KW short wave transmitters at Karachi have been provided funds for purchase of equipment.
The enhancement in the power of transmitters will improve the world and external services of radio Pakistan.
A comprehensive portfolio has been prepared for mass media in the MTDF 2005-10, which is being implemented through the Annual Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDPs). The plan to construct a twenty-six storeyed media tower in the central district of the capital city is a landmark initiative of the government. The media tower, a brain child of the Prime Minister Shoukat Aziz will be a hub of all media activities housing national and international media companies, channels operators and broadcasters. The project, which will cost Rs 1.2 billion definitely portrays government's willingness and appreciation to the challenges and needs in media world.
Once the tower is erected and media operations start, Pakistan will be the third venue to have such facilities. Now a visible change in the media structure has taken place during the last three years and it is expected that a number of projects will reach completion during 2006-07 while other major projects will make speedy headway provided the commitment is there and policies get support and continuity.
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