Independent producers win Pakistan's new legal battle. (Review).(Brief Article)

Television Asia, November, 2001

Twelve private TV production companies in Pakistan won the next stage in their legal battle against state-run broadcaster, Pakistan Television, when the High Court admitted their petition for a regular hearing. The 12 are challenging the sale of airtime on PTV's Channel 3, alleging that PTV allots prime time slots to favoured producers without any transparent method.

PTV denies the claim, which arose from its deal with Alliance TV Network comprising four private producers (Media Magic, Weekend World, Sports Star International and Eveready Pictures) in May this year. The case will be heard in November. PTV's Channel 3, is the former Network Television Marketing (NTM), the country's only private TV channel that was taken over by PTV in 1999.