Direct transmission?: Govt launches web channel to connect with public

Badloon TV will provide two-way communication, train journalists

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has launched its official online channel, Badloon TV, in a bid to connect with the public and ensure their views are being heard.

Badloon is a Pashto word for change.

According to officials, the channel will air programmes on current affairs, religion, entertainment, sports, culture and tourism.

The initiative was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak at the information department’s media centre at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.

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Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Information and Public Relations Secretary Abid Majeed said his department is planning to enhance two-way communication between the government and the public through this channel.

“We will appoint volunteer reporters in various districts,” he said. “Anyone who holds a master’s degree can be a volunteer reporter for the TV.”

According to Majeed, the reporter’s findings will be checked by a team of three experts.

“These experts will respond to the reporters and tell them how to improve their reports,” he said. “In this way, we will train aspiring journalists.”

Q&A

Majeed said the public can submit a query to a government department through the online channel.

“This can be done by typing a message on the web portal,” he said. “Once 15 to 20 questions have been received, relevant ministers would be asked to respond to these questions on a programme called ‘Minister on line’.”

He added, “Badloon TV website will also provide a schedule of the government’s daily activities.”

According to the secretary, Badloon TV will run a test transmission for two months.

“More often than not, government schemes and programmes tend to fail within a few months and the government gets criticised for it,” he said. “We hope to address the technical challenges during the next two months.”

Majeed said the decision to opt for an online channel spared them from wasting time on obtaining a licence from Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority.

According to Majeed, six people have been hired to manage content.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2015.