WHILST every government used Radio Pakistan and PTV as their mouthpiece but unfortunately, nothing was done in the past to transform them as per the modern day requirements.
This is the reason that today they present a sorry state of affairs like any other state enterprise.
It is, however, heartening to see Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain working tirelessly to bring improvement in them.
Whilst making announcement that the PTV will begin digital transmission next month, the Minister also has plans to move Radio Pakistan from traditional broadcasting to the new generation of radio i.e. podcasting.
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain chaired a meeting in Radio Pakistan on Tuesday where he discussed the rolling out of the podcasting initiative.
In our view, the very step will go a long way in reviving not only the old glory of the national broadcaster but also thrive the podcast culture in our country.
In the west, there is a shift from listening to traditional radio with more individuals listening to podcasts while commuting, an easy way to be informed about certain issues without any interruptions.
It is however surprising that despite increasing mobile users having access to internet, podcasting is still a small niche in Pakistan.
We understand that the podcasting from an effective platform such as Radio Pakistan will really change the scenario.
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain believes the podcast initiative will emerge as a symbol of modernization of Radio Pakistan and that its voice will reach in a more effective way to all segments of the society, including the common man and the opinion makers.
Indeed this is so but it all depends also on the content of the podcasts which must serve the interests of different segments of the society.
Whilst Radio Pakistan has excellent following on the social media, we are confident the podcasting will only further add to its listeners and better compete with other media outlets.
The organization must also be provided with necessary resources to implement its Digital Radio Mondiale project as it will prove to be a milestone in taking its voice to the far flung areas across the country and beyond with clarity.
