Radio Pakistan Lahore denies shutdown

[Naveed Yaseen]

Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation has denied a report that Radio Pakistan Lahore has gone silent.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, PBC has said that transmission of age-old medium wave transmitter, which aired programmes on 630 kHz, has not been shutdown but its hours have been reduced due to lack of its reach in the city of Lahore and also due to its outdated technology and huge cost of operation. As soon as a new transmitter is available, it will be replaced.

This transmitter still airs its daily popular programme Punjabi Darbar without fail, which is heard in parts of Indian Punjab. The statements said Radio Pakistan Lahore was now transmitting its programmes on most powerful 5-kilo-watt FM transmitter and was heard loud and clear in the city of Lahore.

The statement said the Radio Pakistan Lahore broadcasts have been increased from 110 to 154 hours weekly. Radio Pakistan Lahore has started new creative programmes to cater to the changing needs of residents of Lahore.

The statement termed the reports about sacking staffers and announcer as baseless and said that on the contrary Radio Pakistan Lahore intended to hire more staff to meet the programming needs as it would soon broadcast 22 hours a day.

PBC has also denied the report of closing down of 100-kilowatt medium wave transmitter radiating from 1332 kHz and said that there was some problem in the transmitter which now has been removed and it has resumed normal transmission. The PBC said the problem related to the transmitter would have been fixed earlier had the previous administrations planned and procured the spare parts of the transmitters.

The story published in the “The News” on August 26, 2009 has quoted the Station Director Lahore Sardar Ali. He has denied this and said that no body contacted him to get information regarding the story.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=195193