The regression in the national television affairs has now echoed through the parliament. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan told the National Assembly that the state-run corporation was facing severe financial constraints and that it was finding it difficult to compete with private sector channels.
To questions by lawmakers on the state of affairs in that national institution, the minister said that she could offer no answers to the members as the PTV managing director gave a fig to her instructions. The minister also lamented that she really did not know to whom the PTV MD was accountable.
Before finding out the causes of the decay and decline, I must say that the minister fully knew as to how the affairs of the public-sector institution were managed over the years and where the actual authority rested.
As far as the financial constraints of this once self-reliant and earning corporation are concerned, one need not learn rocket science to understand the causes of its recent nose-diving performance vis-à-vis private channels. The one and only reason is sheer mismanagement. The organisation is overstaffed.
PTV has enjoyed monopoly for about four decades. Now it is in competition with private channels. Administrators of these channels know as to how programmes can be produced with minimum possible staff.
For getting rid of the present financial constraints, the PTV will have to follow this strategy, besides doing away with maladministration.
MOHAMMAD AZIZ
Karachi
