TV most important platform for news, info in Pakistan

Washington: Television rules the media domain in Pakistan with more than three-fourths of adult population relying on it for news and information, according to a recent US survey. “Television is by far the most important platform for news and information. “We see that even when power is in short supply, people still find a way to watch,” William Bell, director of audience insights at the US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) said. [caption id=“attachment_1761881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] BBG released media research data found that 76.2 per cent of adult population watches TV while mobile phones were also becoming more common, signalling a possible shift in the way Pakistanis engage with media. But there is a significant gap in information access between those with access to cable (45 per cent) and satellite (14 per cent), who have a much broader level of access, compared to those with only terrestrial (21 per cent) or no TV, Bell added. The data found that Pakistani adults relied less on new media, and mobiles are not yet widely used for Internet access. Although the majority of Pakistani adults (56 per cent) report having a mobile phone, the phones are commonly used primarily for sending messages or making calls, the report said. “Mobile has a lot of room to grow, as 3G is just now taking off in Pakistan,” said Bell. Pakistani adults who did consume media on less popular platforms such as radio and Internet tended to do so on their mobile devices. Mobile is the main medium of listening to the radio (62 per cent of radio listeners). PTI