ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Tuesday said the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) earned no profit during the last three years.
Speaking during question-hour in the Senate the minister said that PTV was not a commercial entity and disseminate information, education, and entertainment to promote national unity besides highlighting achievements of the government.
He said other reasons included for not earning profit was Actuarial valuation entries which are incorporated on the recommendation of Statuary Auditors and Board of Director. These entries relates to retiring staff pension benefits, he added.
He said under the guidance of the present management several steps had been taken to enhance in-house productions, telecast of special Ramadan transmission, reduction in TV Fee commission from Rs. 5 to Rs 1 per month, change in Marketing strategy to enhance revenue from PTV Multan, PTV-Global, PTV-News and PTV world.
Replying to another question, the minister said that Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) was making efforts to improve its financial position from sale of air time.
He said PBC was not a commercial entity and the federal government provided grant with the aim to meet its day to day expenditures.
He said that PBC had given marketing rights of FM 101 network to M/S Loud and Clear to enhance the net advertisement income of over 125.982 million rupees.
He said that air time to Voice of America one hour and China Radio International two hours has been sold to fetch revenue of over Rs 54 million per annum.
He said the corporation had rented out nine floors of PBC Building Karachi to M/s Intellectual property organization at a rent of 9.742 million rupees per annum with ten per cent increase every year.
The minister said the Corporation has signed an agreement with M/s Bramerz Pvt Ltd Lahore, adding the company would market all the web site properties of PBC through Google AdSense monetization.
He hoped that a handsome amount would be earned by the PBC through this agreement.
Responding to another question, the Minister said investigation was underway about five mobile numbers of Pakistani telecom companies provided by India regarding Pathankot incident.
He said a case had also been registered in Gujranwala in this regard and a joint investigation team was investigating the case.
