ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Television on Sunday announced the launch of an Internet-based streaming service that will give people access to a gold mine of archive content on their TV and mobile phone screens.
The state-owned broadcaster said the over-the-top (OTT) platform dubbed PTV Flix would give viewers access to PTV’s vast library of content, including TV shows, dramas, documentaries, sports, and other programmes, said the minister for information and broadcasting.
“We have more than 60 years of archives of content digitalised and, I believe, we are sitting on gold,” Marriyum Aurangzeb told reporters. PTV started its transmission in 1964.
Delighted to launch #PTVFlix today, initiated and started in July 2022 ,a new video streaming OTT platform on which users globally can access PTV’s vast library of content, including TV shows, dramas, documentaries, sports, and other programs. This initiative is very close to my… pic.twitter.com/NQ73sOMGMw
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) April 30, 2023
PTV is the first TV station to set up an OTT — the streaming of television content via the Internet. Users would have to register but the content would be free, the management said.
The project was initiated in July 2020 by the government of then prime minister Imran Khan and has finally been launched on both Android and iOS platforms.
Pakistan Television Corporation has formally launched #PTVFLIX today under the guidance of Federal Minister Information & Broadcasting aimed at providing PTV a competitive edge in the fast paced streaming content domain. @Marriyum_A pic.twitter.com/z3rCfnzQ4i
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) April 29, 2023
A delighted Aurangzeb said the platform would connect viewers with a treasure trove, including the golden era of the PTV.
She acknowledged that PTV has produced content that has become a “national treasure,” and popular dramas and shows such as Dhoop Kinare (1987) and Ainak Wala Jin (1993) have become a part of the nation’s collective memory.
The minister said PTV Flix has a rich library of current and old content that users can easily access. She expressed her gratitude to the ministry and the team of PTV for the successful launch, congratulating them for their hard work in making this idea a reality.
In addition, Aurangzeb expressed her appreciation to actors Bushra Ansari, Javed Sheikh, and Khalid Abbas Dar for their participation in the inaugural ceremony.