Proposal for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Broadcasting Corporation (KPBC)

[Submitted to Government in 2015]

          

 The Information & PR Department has launched the following initiatives towards proactive public relations & advocacy platforms for better Government-Citizens-Media interaction:

Sl	Initiative	Present status & future direction
1	Automated Information Research System (ITLA’A)	Electronic, social & print media being monitored, shared through software with concerned and response provided to media through dashboards. Future: Dashboards activation & response from Ministers & Departments.
2	FM Channels	2 x FMs at Peshawar & Mardan already working, 3 x FMs at Swat, Kohat & Abbottabad through a fed org in present year - PC-I being amended Future: All 5 x FMs to be inter-connected for joint production & broadcast. These can also be run to earn at least as much revenue to fulfil their own budgetary requirements
3	TV	Web TV launched and in testing phase. Future: If found feasible, KP Govt can launch its own TV Channel even as a commercial channel to earn revenue & to produce programs
4	Recording Studio	While provision was made in ADP, a donor project has been approved to complete it without any liability on the Govt Future: In around 2 months the studio will be up & running and its facilities can be outsourced to private sector also to earn revenue. With hi-speed internet vans planned from WB funding, connectivity to Districts is an added bonus.
5	Audio-Visual branch	6 x latest cameras (DSLR included) & 2 x heli-cams being procured within the next 2 months along with laptops & software as latest editing tools. For now small clips on various issues are being made & aired on web tv and social media. Future: Coupled with recording studio, this branch can cover audio-visual production requirements of any department & also earn revenue.
6	Classified Ads	Registrar post has been sanctioned & will be activated before the end of Feb. With computerised circulation figure, print media advertisements would be properly regulated. Future: Transparency as well as less rates of advertisements can be ensured in the next FY.
7	Technical human resource	Communications specialists, statistical analyst, social media activists and other staff is on the way Future: This technical staff will drastically alter the paradigm of traditional coverage & sustain itself as a hi-tech unit.
8	Independent Reporters System	With reporters in every Union Council, an independent input mechanism is ensured Future: This can be converted into a press/information agency like APP which could in fact sell its services to the private sector and be self-sustaining.

2.        After due consideration, I have concluded the following hindrances in the above initiatives:

-     Budgetary compulsions which leave little space for funding newer initiatives viz traditional functions;

-     Lack of understanding of the latest tech savvy public relations by the traditional political and bureaucratic strata;

-     Sustainability including inability of the government in acquiring commercial licenses for TV and FM Channels from PEMRA;

-     Strict regime of govt procurement systems which otherwise do not encumber an Authority or Corporation.

-     Traditional staff, some of whom are brilliant and conducive to requirements of modern times but a sizeable number of which is either unable or unwilling, to learn & change.

3.        The following proposals, broad outlines of which have also been verbally discussed with Secretary Finance, are therefore submitted, as [zero draft], for consideration-based on the concept & formulation of the British Broadcasting Company (BBC):-

I.       Organisation: We may, through legislation/Act of Provincial Assembly, form a “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Broadcasting Corporation” (KPBC) controlled by a Board of Governors headed by the CM and including both public and private sector members. The day-to-day affairs can be looked after a Managing Director or a CEO with officers & staff as determined;

II.     Sub-Organisations: The KPBC will have various sub-corporations or companies registered under Companies Act/SECP etc or divisions looking after the following, as needed

A.     TV Channel for news, documentaries on educational, commerce, social issues, sports, entertainment etc.,

B.     FM Radio (existing FMs at Peshawar & Mardan and the upcoming at Swat, Kohat & Abbottabad) on above lines but also include government interaction & responsiveness to public

C.    Public Relationing on behalf of government through print (both display & classified Ads), Electronic (paid content), bill-boards & social media, press conferences/talk

D.    Audio-visual material production & distribution branch including recording studio and its connectivity with the Districts, producing DVDs with advocacy programs

E.     Media enclaves with latest resources for the local media to avail against charges including studios, resource centres etc; and

F.     Exclusive newspaper of the provincial govt covering social messages, procurement Ads etc;

III.    Finances: Being corporation & companies not only licensing, including even commercial, would not be an issue but outsourcing facilities against charges would also not be a problem-creating a self-sustaining organisation. The KPBC would be free to enter into public private partnerships, business arrangements, outsourcing etc to acquire revenue or alley expenditure.

IV.   Kick-starting it, Initial funding for it can be the budget of the Information Directorate as a one liner and a token grant in aid to get it going. Subsequently, and very quickly with the regulation of print media and revenue from FM channels etc, the grant in aid can be tapered off and even recovered in due course. The KPBC must have a Finance & Business setup which acts as the marketing / business end of the Corporation;

V.     Human Resource: The existing staff of the Directorate of Information, Media Cell, FM Channels and Regional Information Offices with clear records (based on PERs & current assessment of performance) can be offered absorption in the KPBC on terms & conditions as favourable as the existing ones. Those staff members who are worthless can pass their remaining days as OSDs. The KPBC may then hire its own temporary, permanent or daily wages staff as per the requirement at the office or in various media outlets;

VI.   Initial Assets: The existing and incoming assets of the Directorate of Information including FM stations, media cell / ITLA’A, audio-visual production branch, vehicles, RIO offices etc. would become assets of the KPBC.

VII. Auxiliary matters: All matters relating to press clubs, journalists & affairs connected in every way to media would then be dealt by the KPBC including content management, interaction of govt with media, provision of information on initiatives to media, response to media queries etc. For this purpose, coverage of Chief Minister, Ministers etc. would be ensured by the staff of the KPBC including reporters or private hire etc. For this purpose there can also be an officer in the Corporation categorised as DGPR or equivalent.

VIII.        Consequently, the Directorate of Information in its present form along with its functions would cease to exist. Even having a full-fledged department at the Secretariat level would not be required and the secretarial functions/contact point for the KPBC can also be assigned to an existing Department. However, as a bridging arrangement the present setup must continue till the legal and procedural formalities of KPBC are formalized and set-up.