Express Media Group is aggressively working to relaunch an English language channel with a different name: Tribune 24/7.
According to officials, the management of the channel has is aiming to commence its transmission in the first quarter of 2018. Test transmission will last for two months and regular scheduled transmission will commence after that
At present, the group is hiring its core team including newsreaders, producers and directors for exclusive transmission related to news bulletin, current affairs, infotainment shows and features programs.
Different shows and news blogs have been planned and designed. Studios and set descriptions have been dedicated for different shows.
The channel will be operational on the new restructured model of human resource, that is, the reporters of group’s sister organizations especially from English language newspaper Express Tribune will contribute to the newsfeed besides its team of core staff members.
The editor of Tribune, Naveed Hussain, is currently the key person heading the news content and current affairs programs. He has experience of electronic media at Dawn News.
Marketing and sales are being handled by the existing team of the group.
Express Media Group has already tested this model with Express News throughout the major cities and bureau offices in which reporters of newspapers, web-desk and channels are contributing for every medium.
For instance, a print media reporter is also working for news channel and web site in addition to its core job. Reporters are asked to cover news events on a regular basis and provide instant news to a central desk, which connects all three medium through WhatsApp.
In this way, the media group is trying to efficiently run news channels, newspapers and news web with less expense and higher productivity.
This is the second time Express Media Group has launched an English language news channel with new ideas and controlled budgets.
Previously, it launched Express 24/7, an English language television news channel headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. It was the second English-language television in Pakistan after Dawn News.
After Dawn News shifted to Urdu broadcast in February 2010, Express 24/7 remained the only 24-hour English-language news channel in Pakistan until its closure in November 2011. Geo News also made an attempt to launch a news channel in the past but it was closed before it even went on air with full transmission.
The channel was shut down due to lack of human resources, limited audience, and insufficient number of advertisement in tandem with tough economic situation of the country.
Later, PTV World was launched in January 2013 but its financial management and revenue earning have not been stabilized so far by the present management, which is fearing a closure the in future.
It is hoped that Express Media Group will utilize its best experience and resources to run English language news channels though it is a tough task. The group is famous for experimenting with launching and closing channels and publications. Recently, it closed Hero TV and business newspaper Business Today. Moreover, the suspension of infotainment news portal Webchutney, which was apparently shut down with last post updated in November 2016.