Media city in Islamabad under study: Sheikh Rashid
ISLAMABAD- The government is considering to establish ‘Media-City’ in Islamabad on the pattern of Dubai, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said.
“Media-City equipped with most modern communication facilities for the journalist community will be established in Islamabad,” he said in an interview with a Dubai based English daily.
The Government of UAE has recently set up a most modern communication centre called ‘Media-City’ facilitating the media community to communicate and transmit news and television footage, besides airing TV programmes through satellite.
Two privately-owned Pakistani channels, ARY and Geo have been utilising the facilities from the Media-City of Dubai.
Elaborating other development plans of his Ministry, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said, a Research Institute for the journalist community will soon be set up, providing a strong base for research and reference to the media in the capital.
Answering a question, he said that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has issued 7 licences to Television Channels as four of them are operative while the rest are in the process of being set up.
In addition to that, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said, Pemra has also issued 26 licences for radio channels in the private sector.
Two of them have been set up while the rest will be established by November this year, he added.
The Minister said that the Ministry of Information has plans on cards to improve the performance of its External Publicity Wing with the aim to appropriately project the country’s cause in the world.
For this purpose, he said, the working of information desks, at the missions in Washington, New York, Dubai and London, will be improved by enhancing the manpower at these centres.
Expressing satisfaction over the performance of state-owned PTV channels, the Information Minister said a new channel, under the banner of PTV-4 (National) will soon be inaugurated.
This channel will air regional programmes round-the-clock and will be fourth channel in addition to already existing PTV-1, PTV-2 (World), and PTV-3.
PTV-National will air programmes in Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu and Balochi besides other regional languages.
The PTV has also been planning to set up a dedicated channel for Sports while another for Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he said, adding that these will also be aired shortly.
PTV-1 is a 24-hour family entertainment channel that also airs programmes for children and women.
This also telecasts educational and entertainment programmes like, drama, music, shows and sports.
PTV-2 (World) is a round-the-clock channel through cable network and satellite.
It is primarily a news and current affairs channel, which also telecasts 5-hour entertainment.
PTV-3 is an entertainment-cum-educational channel and telecasts programmes 24 hours a day.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:6/4/2003
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