Pakistan Television: A Historical Perspective
Pakistan Television Corporation Limited (PTV) is a public limited company and Government of Pakistan holds all its shares. The decision to establish a television service with the participation of private capital and under the general supervision of the Government of Pakistan was taken in October 1963. Subsequently, the government signed an agreement with Nippon Electronic Company of Japan, allowing it to operate two pilot stations in Pakistan. The first of these stations went on air in Lahore on 26 November 1964.
On the completion of the experimental phase, a private limited company, called Television Promoters Limited was set up in 1965, which was converted into a public limited company in 1967.
Television centres were established in Karachi and Rawalpindi/Islamabad in 1967 and in Peshawar and Quetta in 1974.
Managing Director is the executive head of this organisation. Its 10 divisions comprising News, Current Affairs, Programmes, Sports, International Relations, Engineering, Finance, Administration and Personnel, PTV Academy, and Educational Television (ETV) are headed by a full-time Director (for each).
The total number of television centres is six including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and ETV Centre Islamabad (PTV-2), each headed by a General Manager.
Most of the programmes presented on national network are relayed through terrestrial microwave network provided by Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation. The network links PTV's five centres as well as 32 high powered re-broadcast stations and covers 86% of the population consisting of 37.5% area.
Programmes are telecast in 9 languages (Urdu, English Punjabi, Sindhi, Seraiki, Pushtto, Hindko, Balochi and Brahvi), while news are also telecast in 9 languages (Urdu, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Hindko, Balochi, Brahvi and Arabic).
The daily average transmission constitutes 14 hours and 40 minutes whereas the ratio of local versus imported programmes is 95% and 5% respectively. For broadcasting purposes the PAL B/G system is being used.
As far as the finances of this organisation are concerned, most of them (63%) come from commercials. The licence fee is the second biggest source of income i.e., 22%. The programmesâ sale and miscellaneous sources generate 8% and 7% income respectively.
PTV-Via Satellite
Now PTV provides its viewers with a round the clock satellite transmission. It includes ETV transmission from 1200 to 1800 PST. Moreover, there are five local channels.
- Local channel at Deh Shah Murid transmits programmes in Urdu and Sindhi for Karachi.
- At Kala Shah Kaku, in Punjabi for Lahore, Sheikhupura and Gujranwala.
- At Tando Allah Yar in Sindhi for Hyderabad and Tandu Adam.
- At Cherat in Pushto for Peshawar.
- At Lukh Pass at Quetta in Balochi and Pushto for Quetta and Mustung valley.
PTV TELETEXT
You can watch (If you have Teletext Decoder) on standard television:
- Flight Information System
- Stock Exchange Trading of all three Stcok Exchanges of Pakistan
- Cotton Rates
- Bullion Rates
- Foreign Currency Exchange Rates
- Weather (National/International)
- News Headlines
- Sports Schedule
Media Web Links