Government spends over Rs500 million on electronic media ads

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 26 November 2014

The Pakistani government has spent Rs505 million on advertisements through electronic media since June 2013. This expenditure was disclosed during a National Assembly session by Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: The government has spent more than Rs500 million on advertisement on television channels and radio stations since June 2013, the National Assembly was told Wednesday.

During the Question Hour, PPPP’s legislator Nafisa Shah asked about the total expenditure incurred on the government advertisements made through electronic media during 2013-14. She also inquired if the channels have been paid.

“The total expenditure incurred on the government advertisements on electronic media during the period from 1-7-2013 till date is amounting to Rs505,224,819,” Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Pervaiz Rashid informed the Lower House.

About the channels getting the money, the minister said Press Information Department scrutinizes the electronic media bills. Payment is made to advertising agencies for paying it off to TV channels, the minister added.

He also placed before the House a list detailing payments under process to the channels. The leading channels have the large share of the government advertisements - Geo News (Rs26,854,960), Express News (Rs29,893,797), ARY News (Rs17,186,585), DawnNews (Rs21,600,046), Dunya News (Rs19,490,683), Saama News (Rs18,328,167), Abb Takk (Rs2 2,726,841). On the other hand PTV Bolan got only Rs12500 for government ads, PTV Home (Rs183, 455) and PTV News (Rs6,404,354).

The list:

KEY POINTS:

• Total expenditure on electronic media ads exceeds Rs500 million.
• PPP legislator Nafisa Shah questioned the advertisement spending.
• Payments to channels are processed through advertising agencies.