The State of Electronic Media in

Pakistan

Salman Danish Naseer

CEO - Medialogic

WHO WE ARE

Medialogic is the only overnight TV Ratings provider

in Pakistan
Set up in 2006 to cater to the growing media needs
of local industry

Set up in collaboration with the 3rd largest

Research company in the world GFK

Panel consisting of approx. 4,000 individuals from

675 households in 9 cities

Clients include ALL broadcasters and ALL major

advertisers

PAKISTAN ADVERTISING INDUSTRY 2010

- TV continues to be the biggest medium. It is also the fastest
growing!
- Digital and Radio also growing while Outdoor coming down
slightly due to removal of Billboards in Punjab
Televisi
on
remaine
d
on Top

4% 2%
13%

51%
30%

TV
Print
Outdoor
Radio
Digital

Medium

Growth During
2010

TV

20%

Print

8%

Outdoor

-10%

Radio

15%

Digital

50%+

 It took 26 years for the second channel to launch. In 2010, one new channel was
being launched almost every 26 days!

1964

1990

2010

Key Development in Pak Electronic Media

PTV goes on air in 1964
VCRs and VCPs in late seventies/early
eighties
First Color Transmission in 1976
NTM is launched in the early nineties
PTV World is launched in 1998
Deregulation of Electronic Media in
2000

CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS

Today a total of 81 local Channels are available

In addition, around 50 foreign channels are being aired
News
Geo News
ARY News
Samaa
Dunya TV
Express News
Waqt TV
Dawn News
News1
Metro One
Business Plus
Express 24/7
Aaj TV
CNBC
PTV News
Din News
Channel 5
Royal News
KTN News
APNA News
Vash News
Sindh News
Khyber News
City 42
Indus News

Entertainmen
t
ARY Digital
Hum TV
Geo Ent
Indus Vision
A Plus*
AKS *
TV One
PTV Home
Alite *
Sohni Dharti*
Dharti
Vibe
Koh-e-Noor*
AXN
ATV
PTV National

Sports
Geo Super
Tensports

Fashion
Style 360

Informational
Value TV
Health TV*

Children
Cartoon Net
Nickelodeon

Movies
HBO
Filmax
Filmazia
Starlite
Silver Screen
Film World*

Religious
Food
Zaiqa*
Masala
ARY Zauq

Madni
ARY QTV
Haq TV

Music
Oxygene
Aag
Play
ARY Music
GKA Boom
MTV Pakistan
Oye
K2

Regional
Rohi TV
KTN
Punjab TV
APNA
Raavi
Mehran
Sindh TV
PTV Bolan
Waseb TV
AVT Khyber
Kook
Kashish
Awaz
Sabz Baat

WHAT PEOPLE WATCH

Foreign Entertainment Channels leading all categories followed
by In-House cable Channels
Only around 50% viewership being derived by Legal Content

Jan - Dec 2010

Inhouse
Local Ent

14%

Foreign Ent

18%

Movies

1%
6%

News

10%

5%
1%
3%

Music
Cooking
Sports

14%
4%

25%

Children
Regional
Others

* Other included Fashion, Educational and Religious categories

WHEN DO PEOPLE WATCH TV

Peak Viewership moving later into the night highest
viewership now at 21:30
Specialised programming developing Morning Slot viewership
26.0
24.0
22.0
20.0
18.0
16.0
14.0
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0

CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS

Total Advertising Revenue for TV in 2010 was
less than USD 175 Million (Rs. 15 Billion)
Zero Subscription Revenue therefore entire
Industry running after Ad Revenue
News Channels sensationalizing stories
Entertainment Channels full of Ads

Despite the above, most TV Channels are in

Loss!

THE CHALLENGES!
Pakistan market cannot afford 80+ TV Channels
PEMRA needs to enforce regulatory framework
Limit the number of Licenses considering supply & demand
Implement Subscription generation for Channels as well as Cable Operators
Remove illegal channels which provide unfair competition to local channels

Content will drive Channel success and it is getting more

and more expensive
The other big challenge for TV Industry is Distribution.
Cable Operators can carry less than 100 channels while
more than 130 are available

WHAT THE INDUSTRY NEEDS TO DO

Broadcasters must decide the following together with
other stakeholders
1. How to co-exist with Cable Operators where both parties
benefit from each other. This decision will rest mostly on
how to increase subscription revenue and divide it.
2. Work with PEMRA to stop airing of illegal content, thereby
increasing viewership for legal content
3. Limit New Licenses and create a market mechanism whereby
new licenses may be awarded only if market grows
4. Create self governed Editorial guidelines
5. Improve local capacity for Quality production Invest in
production infrastructure (Institutes, facilities, equipment)

Thank you!

Total Population
180 Million
Total Households
~25 Million
TV Penetration (70%) ~18 Million
Cable Penetration (50%) ~ 9 Million
Average Subscription Rs.50
Total Subscription Rev. Rs.11 Billion