Govt slashes 23% PTV positions
The government has decided to abolish nearly one in every four sanctioned positions at Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) as part of efforts to reduce the national entity's losses and has also approved a new business plan for the state-owned entity.
On Friday, the Ministry of Information informed the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs) about the decision to cut 1,232 positions from the 5,442 sanctioned posts, representing a 23% reduction in staff at the highly overstaffed organisation.
"The Committee was told that out of 5,442 sanctioned posts of PTV, 1,232 posts had also been abolished to save costs," according to a press statement issued by the finance ministry.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the meeting, where the cabinet committee approved the business plans for both PTV and the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).
Details revealed that PTV News, the news arm of the corporation, earned less than its budgeted profit while incurring higher-than-budgeted expenses during FY2023-24. Against the Rs357 million budgeted income, provisional income stood at Rs200 million. Meanwhile, expenses rose to Rs688 million, compared to the budgeted Rs585 million.
The committee was informed that PTV currently employs 95 anchorpersons.
The finance ministry noted that the Ministry of Information submitted a revival business plan for PTV, featuring measures such as digital expansion, content licensing, profitable marketing partnerships, public-private collaborations, and better utilisation of PTV properties to maximise operational efficiency and revenue potential.
The committee deliberated on the PTV and PBC plans, emphasising operational excellence and the timely execution of planned actions to achieve desired results.
Additionally, the committee recommended the Ministry of Information work through the administrative boards of PBC and PTV to proactively make use of unutilised assets, preferring private-sector sales of these assets over engaging in real estate activities that could detract from their primary function as state broadcasters.
The business plans also included proposals to increase revenues, secure sponsorships, and reduce operational costs.
However, the cabinet committee was briefed on challenges identified through a PESTLE analysis – a tool used to understand the external factors impacting business plans. As a state-owned broadcaster, PTV operates under government oversight, which often alters its content and organisational priorities. Moreover, unlike private channels, PTV's public service mandate limits advertising revenue, affecting profitability.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan boasts over 90 million television viewers, with TV advertising expenditure reaching Rs50 billion in FY2023-24, up from Rs43.4 billion the previous year. Conversely, digital media advertising expenditure declined to Rs25.25 billion in FY2023-24 from Rs26.5 billion in the prior year, according to the Ministry of Information.
For PBC, the business plan focuses on income generation through improved programme content, better signal quality, and the utilisation of seven large unutilised spaces and six large tracts of open lands in various cities. Proposed measures include installing ATM booths and advertising billboards at suitable locations of Radio Pakistan.
The committee was told that PBC could achieve a financial break-even within two years of implementing the proposed plan, according to the finance ministry.
In addition to the broadcaster business plans, the committee approved the reconstitution of the Board of Directors for the Karachi Tools, Dies, and Mould Centre (KTDMC) under the Ministry of Industries and Production. The CCoSOEs approved the appointment of five private-sector candidates 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.
Similarly, the reconstitution of the Board of Directors for the Technology Up-gradation and Skills Development Company (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 SOEs Ownership and Management Policy, 2023, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and aligning the company's goals with national priority.