Pakistan’s electronic media industry is grappling with severe financial difficulties, leading to salary delays and growing unrest among employees. The crisis has escalated to the point where journalists and media workers from major news channels, including Geo News, ARY, Neo TV, and LTN, have raised concerns about unpaid wages.
Recently, employees of Geo News staged a protest outside the channel’s headquarters, demanding their pending salaries. Similar concerns have surfaced across other networks, highlighting the industry-wide struggle to maintain financial stability. While some media houses managed to release full or partial salaries before Eid, many employees continued to face uncertainty.
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Analysts attribute the financial crisis to Pakistan’s deteriorating economy and declining business revenues, which have severely impacted advertising revenues—the primary source of income for TV channels. The situation has worsened with the government cutting back on advertising budgets, despite mounting criticism from media workers and the public.
However, not all media houses are in distress. Samaa TV reportedly provided bonuses to its employees, showing that some organizations are managing their finances better than others.
Experts suggest that Pakistan’s media industry must adopt sustainable business models to ensure financial security and timely salary disbursements. The current crisis underscores the urgent need for diversification of revenue streams beyond traditional advertisements to safeguard employees’ livelihoods and maintain journalistic integrity.
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