Govt to establish media university in Islamabad

• Information minister says govt to convert all PTV channels to high definition technology in phases

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Hussain on Friday said that the federal government would establish a state-of-the-art media university while merging the Pakistan Television Academy and the Radio Pakistan Academy.

Speaking during his visits to the two academies and the Radio Dosti Channel here, he said that the government would equip the state media with modern technology and all PTV channels would be converted to high definition technology in phases.

The minister said that PTV was the prime state media institution and its progress would prove a harbinger of change in the entire official media. He also said that the fifth generation war was being fought on the media. He pointed out that the western media was publishing biased news about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a gigantic economic project.

He said that the present government would ensure CPEC’s success and also take steps to further expand it. He said that the state media could play an important role in promoting the positive image of the country. He said that time was changing rapidly and use of technology was increasing with every passing day and Pakistan would have to keep pace with the world.

He promised to revive the old glory of the PTV. In the past, PTV was damaged by the political interference, but the present government would restore its image, he said. On arrival, the minister was received by Raffat Nazir. He visited various sections of the academy and met its staff. The academy was established 30 years ago and most of its equipment had become outdated now.

He also visited the PTV Home and saw its various sections including the studio. PTV Home General Manager Kanwal Masood briefed the minister. In his address, he announced that the PTV’s signal would soon be digitalised and expertise and funds would be provided by China. He called for launch of the public-private partnership for improving the programming section of the PTV.

He said that the interests of the PTV employees would be guarded and efforts would be made to help the PTV stand on its feet. He said that constitution of new Board of Governors was a step towards that direction. Fawad also visited the Pakistan Broadcasting Academy here and went round its various facilities, where he was briefed about working of the institution.

The minister planted a sapling in the lawns of the academy in furtherance of the government’s tree plantation campaign. During his visit to the Radio Museum, he took interest in the equipment on display especially the microphone used by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to announce the creation of Pakistan.

The information minister also visited the studios of the China Radio International’s Dosti Channel established at the premises of the academy. In a live interview, he said that Pakistan and China enjoyed time-tested friendship and Islamabad was proud of its relations with Beijing. He said that CPEC would be further expanded and never undermined.