KARACHI, Feb 1: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority on Tuesday allowed the Mass Communication Department of Karachi University to establish its own FM Radio Station for "education and entertainment" purposes.

However, this channel would solely be used for educational purposes like training for preparation of radio programmes such as interviews, dramas, advertisements but it would not be used for broadcasting news programmes.

The chairman of Mass Communication Department, Prof Tahir Masood, said that the department had received a letter from the office of PEMRA chairman on Tuesday in which the department was permitted to establish an FM Radio Station for "education and entertainment purposes" as per criteria laid down by the authority.

"We had applied for establishment of radio station one and half years back and after thorough investigation, inquiries and inspections, the PEMRA at last allowed us to establish the radio station to use it for training of our students," he added.

He maintained that the PEMRA had given them the deadline of Feb 15 for payment of fee for allotment of frequency. "Now, the department has to pay Rs110,000 to the PEMRA as fee by Feb 15 for allotment of frequency," he added.

However, he said that it would take at least a year to go on air. "First we will have to constitute a team, set up a studio and complete other prerequisites for starting broadcasts," he said adding that professionals will be hired for successfully launching the radio station. "We need technicians and other skilled people to launch the service though we have some experts," he added. - PPI