ISLAMABAD- Pakistan Television (PTV) will launch its news channel by November 3, according to its Managing Director Yousaf Beg Mirza. Addressing a press conference he said, the transmission will remain on air round the clock. The news show will be telecast daily from 7 am to 9 am with news bulletin after every hour. He denied the reports appearing in a section of press that the news channel project was being shelved. He said 136 persons have been recruited for the news channel and none of them have been fired.

He said Rs 15.6 million have been spent on the news channel and the viewers will see two revolutionary changes with the hunch of this channel. Beg said the Prime Television had been awarded contact through open tender. New tenders would be invited at the expiry of this contract, he added.

He said Prime TV was to buy programmes worth Rs 210 million over a period of three years. So far it has bought programmes worth Rs 80 million, he added.

Responding to a question, he said the decision with regard to award of contract was given by the board of directors and not by a single person. He said PTV would launch its transmission for North America according to its plans. “The transmission will be stated in the next 15 days,” he added.

In response to a question, Beg said PTV has done business worth Rs 970 million till 1999, while various companies owner Rs 660 million to it. “Now our business has reached Rs 2 billion mark,” he said. He said PIV has given contract for its licence fee for Rs 630 million. Regarding alleged corruption of ex MD PTV Rana Sheikh, Beg said First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against her and the matter is with the court. When The News tried to contact Rana Sheikh, at her residence, for her comments about the registration of FIR, her family sources said she is away to the United States.
Source: The News
Date:10/24/2000