Pressure cooking: driven by new competition (and politics, some say), Pakistan's PTV is rethinking its way of doing business. Ritesh Gupta looks at a state-owned network under pressure.(free tv)(Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority)

Television Asia, November, 2004 by Gupta, Ritesh

State-owned broadcaster, the Pakistan Television Corp, is coming under increasing pressure as its annual deficit continues and privately owned satellite channels' grip tightens on local audiences and advertising revenues. The appointment of new managing director, Arshad Khan, earlier this year was step one in the rethink of Pakistan Television's PTV channels into a more competitive force.

New bosses for advertising sales (Imran Ansari, from privately owned pay-TV network Geo TV) and marketing (Khwar Azher, previously with Broadcast Marketing Network) have been brought on board, and indications are that ad rates will be hiked soon. Sources say prime time rates will rise from Rs178,150/US$3125 per minute to Rs225,000/US$3947 for PTV NNW. Commercial...

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