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To save Rs. 30 million, PTV did not show Pak-Australia series: Report
Published by TV Explore on May 12, 2009
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The large number of viewers of state-owned Pakistan Television were not shown the recent Pakistan-Australia cricket series that could have been made available to them in just Rs 32 million, but because of some unknown reasons, the cricket-loving nation had to tune their radios on for the exciting matches.
One of the officials of the Pakistan Television Limited (PTV) told The News that rights of airing the cricket matches from the UAE could have been purchased easily and an extra revenue of over 30 million could have been generated from the five one-day matches and a Twenty20 match but the rights were not purchased for unknown reasons.
While a letter written by All PTV Employees and Workers Union to the Ministry of Information also reveals a similar sort of fact. PTV Managing Director Arshad Khan while defending his stance said that Pakistan-Australia series was not commercially viable, therefore, the PTV management could not make the deal. Had there been any spot of revenue generation from the series there was no question that the viewers of PTV were not entertained with the matches, he remarked.
While PTV head of Sales Banaras Khan said that the rights of Pak-Australia series were bought by Ten Sports and the TV channel was asking for $400,000 for the series. He said the PTV would have to show the matches during the peak hours and the revenue generation would not be enough, so the deal was not signed.
He said that in the end the negotiations turned in to a tussle and then an ego problem, therefore, the series was not aired.The letter written by the workers of PTV to the Information Ministry high-ups states that the PTV was earning Rs3 billion from the viewers through electricity bills but to the disappointment of viewers, an important and much-awaited cricket series was not aired by the channel.
One of the officials of the state-owned TV channel said that cricket was the only sport which was being watched by the public with zeal, and, under such circumstances when Pakistan has been deprived of world cup matches, the PTV has not shown the Pak-Australia series which was incomprehensible.
While the workers union members said the PTV was a terrestrial channel with more than 70 percent television viewership, having no option of cable or dish TV, but the management of PTV did not care to entertain them.
They said that it never happened in the past that an important cricket series was missed by the PTV for nothing. The PTV MD, while explaining his position, said he and his team would never want a deal that would have caused loss.
“My whole experience is of marketing and I would never leave any such deal, but the Pakistan-Australia series was not commercially viable,” said Arshad Khan, adding: “For me revenue matters and there is no question of leaving any such series but the international companies have the rights of such series and there were so many channels in the market with Geo Super being solely sports channel and the international companies ask for such a huge amount that the PTV cannot pay as the present conditions do not allow us.”
He said that the letter of union was addressed to the Ministry of Information and the ministry would dig the matter out and everything would be out of the box once the ministry would investigate the issue but the union has nothing to do with marketing strategies.
He said that he was not in the know of the actual rates that were being offered by the PTV and the demand of the international companies. However, he again said that why they would not have aired the matches had they been commercially viable.
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TV Explore on Thu, 4th Jun 2009 9:20 pm
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AndrewBoldman on Thu, 4th Jun 2009 9:10 pm
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Mariam Leghari on Tue, 12th May 2009 8:29 pm
The News (a Jang newspaper) is reporting this news & alleging PTV that it “failed” to show Pak-Aus matches! I ask Jang group that why did Geo Super fail to show Pak-Aus matches and instead prefered India’s IPL in which no Pakistan player was there? If PTV saved money, Geo saved Indian interests.