Let PTV survive on its own resource
Pak Chronicle Report
Islamabad
The government functionaries instead to burden the general public with additional Rs65 as licence fee for Pakistan Television (PTV) per electricity consumer should focus on other areas to make it commercially viable and financially resourceful.
Citizens of Islamic Republic of Pakistan are likely to be extra burdened with increased licence fee of PTV amounting to Rs20 billion by levying additional Rs65 per electricity consumer in their monthly bills.
Already the citizens are paying Rs35 as licence fee as PTV’s licence fee in their electricity bills irrespective of the fact whether one watches it or not.
The government may levy this additional any tax as it got authority to do so but ‘taxes’ like it are not deemed appropriate. On may only be charged of something which he is using while this is not the case with PTV. Even the electricity bills of mosques carry Rs35 charges as PTV licence fee.
Moreover PTV was supposed to be commercially viable entity as other private news channels of the country are. They generate their own finances through commercial ads and other things like it. These private TV channels produce quality content to attract viewership. There is always competition in private TV channels while this is not the case with PTV.
Implementation of recommendation to levy this extra fee on electricity’s consumers would invite a lot of criticism across the board. So the government should adopt the policy in which PTV may earn its own finances through its own resources instead to burden the general public with extra taxes for running its affairs.
According to some media reports PTV has decided to increase the licence fee of its operation thus putting the burden to their losses on the people who are already in the grip of multifaceted crises.
As per the financial plan recommended by the Board of Directors (BoDs) of PTV, the license fee will be increased from Rs35 to Rs100. The increase in PTV fees will be included in the bills of electricity consumers. The decision will put an additional burden of Rs20 billion on the public.
According to these media reports three marketing managers have been appointed to reduce the PTV deficit. These marketing managers have suggested increasing PTV fees to reduce the losses.
Prime Minister Imran Khan was supposed to get briefing on it while the federal cabinet would make the final decision in this context.
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