Probe ordered into sacking of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) announcers
RAWALPINDI- Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation has ordered an inquiry into the termination of announcers by the PBC Rawalpindi, in violation of the directions of the Ministry of Information and Media Development.
A number of announcers and comperes were terminated on January 01, 2001, according to a representative of the sacked announcers. The ministry had ordered the appointment of announcers on a consolidated basis till June 2001 after considering their cases on merit. But PBC terminated their contracts in December 2000 without any reason and without the approval of the ministry.
The station director was summoned at the PBC Headquarters before Eidul Fitr, but he tried to misguide the PBC administration that the contracts were valid only up to December 31, 2000.
A number of announcers and comperes of Radio Pakistan, Rawalpindi lost their jobs as a “selection committee” did not find them fit for the posts, in a so-called re-audition held here in November last year.
No voice test, which is a basic requirement of audition, was given. The local radio centre conducted interviews of 42 announcers and comperes already working there for different time periods. The purpose of the exercise was to keep only the competent persons as announcers and comperes.
The interviews were conducted by a committee headed by Mr Sattar, Deputy Controller PBC Headquarters, Station Director Radio Pakistan Rawalpindi, Fakhar-e-Alam Nomani and Programme Manager of PBC Rawalpindi, Syed Tariq Ayub.
According to insiders the local radio administration got the “interview results twisted according to their liking thus depriving the competent professionals of their due merit.” As a result, a number of announcers who were working for Rawalpindi centre for decades lost their jobs. A female announcer who could not recite some verses of Allama Iqbal was lucky enough to get 83 marks out of 98 while the competent ones found their names at the bottom of the “merit list.”
Source: Dawn
Date:1/3/2001
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