ISLAMABAD:
The government has decided to eliminate nearly one in four sanctioned posts in the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) as part of efforts to reduce losses of the national entity and also approved a new business plan for the public entity.
The Ministry of Information on Friday informed the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCoSOE) of the decision to eliminate 1,232 positions out of the 5,442 sanctioned positions, representing a 23 percent reduction in an organization’s workforce overstaffed.
“The Committee was informed that out of 5,442 posts sanctioned by the PTV, 1,232 posts were also abolished to reduce costs,” according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Finance.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the meeting, during which the cabinet committee approved the business plans of PTV and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).
Details revealed that PTV News, the news arm of the company, made less than its budgeted profit while incurring above-budget expenses in the 2023-24 financial year. Out of the budgeted revenue of Rs357 million, provisional revenue stands at Rs200 million. Meanwhile, expenditure increased to Rs688 million, compared to Rs585 million budgeted.
The committee was informed that PTV currently employs 95 presenters.
The Ministry of Finance noted that the Ministry of Information had submitted a business plan for the revival of PTV, including measures such as digital expansion, content licensing, cost-effective marketing partnerships, public-private collaborations and better utilization of PTV properties to maximize operational efficiency and revenue potential.
The committee deliberated on the PTV and PBC plans, with emphasis on operational excellence and timely execution of planned actions to achieve the desired results.
Furthermore, the committee recommended that the Ministry of Information work through the boards of directors of the PBC and PTV to proactively utilize idle assets, preferring sales of these assets to the private sector rather than engaging in real estate activities that could undermine their primary function as state broadcaster. .
The business plans also included proposals to increase revenue, gain sponsorships and reduce operational costs.
However, the cabinet committee was informed of the challenges identified through a PESTLE analysis – a tool used to understand external factors impacting business plans. As a public broadcaster, PTV operates under government oversight, which often changes its content and organizational priorities. Additionally, unlike private channels, PTV’s public service mandate limits advertising revenue, thereby affecting profitability.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan has over 90 million viewers, with television advertising spending reaching Rs50 billion in the 2023-2024 financial year, up from Rs43.4 billion the previous year. Conversely, advertising spending on digital media declined to Rs 25.25 billion in fiscal 2023-24 from Rs 26.5 billion in the previous year, according to the Ministry of Information .
For PBC, the business plan focuses on generating revenue through enhanced program content, better signal quality and utilization of seven large unused spaces and six large tracts of open land in various cities. The proposed measures include installation of ATMs and hoardings at appropriate locations of Radio Pakistan.
The committee was informed that the PBC could reach financial balance within two years of implementing the proposed plan, according to the Ministry of Finance.
Apart from the broadcaster’s business plans, the committee approved the reconstitution of the board of directors of the Karachi Tools, Dies and Mold Center (KTDMC) under the Ministry of Industries and Production. The CCoSOE approved the nomination of five candidates from the private sector and ex-officio directors were appointed for a three-year term, with Abdur Razaaq Gauhar as chairman of the board. This reconstitution aims to improve corporate governance and ensure effective decision-making for the entity.
Likewise, the reconstitution of the board of directors of the Technological Upgradation and Skills Development Corporation (TUSDEC) was also approved. Six private sector candidates and ex-officio directors were appointed for a three-year term, with Muhammad Noorud Din Daud as chairman of the board. These changes align with the Public Enterprise Ownership and Management Policy 2023, aimed at improving operational efficiency and aligning corporate objectives with national priority.
