State Minister for Information Ms Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli on Saturday evening called for making PTV a low-cost and high-efficiency channel by maintaining merit in its productions and telecast.
"Pakistani nation deserves a best of the best channel, which they can get in the shape of PTV," she said while speaking at the launching ceremony of seven TV plays here at Marina Club.
The plays produced under partnership of PTV and private sector would be telecast on PTV's Prime Time Channel after Eidul Fitr.
She acknowledged that PTV channels have a large viewership in the country than all the private channels.
"PTV reaches the people where other channels do not, she said, adding, "PTV should reach viewers world wide."
The minister noted that public and private channels partnership would increase competition leading to quality productions.
Earlier, PTV managing director Arshad Khan said instead of imposing something upon the viewers only the best content would be telecast on PTV in future to ensure merit. He said with the launching of these seven plays in one go after Eidul Fitr, the viewership of PTV's Prime Time would significantly increase.
He said the PTV management has now decided to also do the marketing of the productions against its past practice of only purchasing productions from private sector. It would bring consistency in advertisement rates and end the anomaly in the bills. He said the advertisement rates would be made flexible to meet the requirements of the clients.
Glimpses of the dramas, which are based on drawing room to desert stories, were presented on projectors. The artistes were also introduced, who expressed their impressions.
Renowned singers, like Hadiqa Kiyani, Najam Sheraz and Ali Haider, enthralled the audience with their singing.