Succession of ads brings to fore capacity issue at PTA

ISLAMABAD (PAKISTAN)

The lack of capacity of PT

A is being increasingly felt at highest echelons now as one advertisement after the other issued  by the Authority in quick succession did not impress a great deal and ended up causing dismay about its capacity for carrying out day-to-day functions as well as key strategic executions.

As per details, on Feb 16 PTA published an ad titled,”Invitation for Expression of Interest for Appointment of Advertising Agencies for Handling Media Related Assignments”. The ad went on to add,” appointed agencies will also provide advisory service to PTA regarding media activities/publicity concerning its function including auction of spectrum etc. Still, the management published yet another ad in Urdu and English languages newspapers on Feb 17 for “Invitation for Expression of Interest” (EOI) for License/Spectrum auction consultancy services.”

Experts believe the publication of the ad shows lack of capacity on behalf of PTA as it seems unable of carrying forward the Auction process all by itself and needs third party services. The third party hiring would also purge itself of any possible scam as a result of Auction process.

It appears as naïve minds working in the Authority have jumbled up different issues into one hazy whole which stand poles apart and require diametrically different approaches to handle. For example Advertising Agencies around the world have nothing to do with the publication of news, articles and media activities like keeping close eye on Industry development etc. These issues exclusively fall under the domain of Public Relations companies where individual capacity for handling such activities is much greater than Advertising Agencies which are merely concerned with conceiving, designing and publishing ads.

A senior advertising agency official on the condition of anonymity threw light on the contemporary mindset prevalent in autonomous organizations and aimed at ‘barter system’. ”it is a common practice for ad agencies to write ‘desired articles’ for various autonomous and semi autonomous organizations against Release Orders for their ads’, the official said. He, however, conceded that the quality of such content needs much to be desired as they are not written by professionally sound people.

Stakeholders who are gearing themselves for bracing for 3G Technologies say there should be a clear cut division of issues at PTA and the Authority should avoid making a hotchpotch which could badly disturb or delay the technological leap country is preparing for, in a few days to come.