Pakistan’s newly-elected government, soon after taking charge, announced reforming media policies and doing away with government monopoly of state broadcasters. Attesting to the ‘truth’, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has acknowledged this. They have observed a visible change in coverage of the state-run television, PTV.
According to BBC Pashto service, a marked change has been witnessed in the news bulletins of state-run Pakistan Television(PTV).
The Gulf News citing a survey that Pakistan Television gave the opposition parties adequate coverage and also aired their criticism of the government.
On August 22, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry announced that the ‘political censorship’ stays more in place at the state television. As “envisioned by Prime Minister Imran Khan to make media in the country free and independent.”
Mr Chaudhry said in a tweet: “All political parties and their leaders are getting coverage on PTV. #EidAladha activities of opposition leaders also covered by PTV.”
“A significant change has been witnessed in Pakistan Television bulletins as far as stories are concerned. After the government has done away with the censorship,” a producer working in PTV Centre Peshawar said. He quoted in the GT report.
Sharing details of the priority list of news stories, the producer said. “Earlier PTV used to air news stories of the prime minister, the president and federal ministers, chief minister.”
Likewise, he said Pakistan Television gave prominent coverage earlier to the activities of judges, the army chief and other government functionaries. According to the PTV producer, the priority list of airing news had changed altogether.
He said that, in the past, Pakistan Television did not air any news story criticising a sitting government. But now, news stories scrutinising the government regularly feature in the news bulletins.
As part of the overhaul, Pakistan Television has also started giving coverage to social media trends, which Government had prohibited earlier, he added.