Working at improving its programs, providing its audience with better choices and operating its channels under different themes, Jordan Radio and Television Corporation is pursuing a joint venture with international film distribution companies to start a movie channel.
According to a JRTVC official, the corporation will begin courting several international companies to start a movie channel on its third land channel which used to link to the satellite signal. JTV has three land channels: Channel 1 (unified Arabic and English), Channel 2 (sports, parliament sessions and special events) and Channel 3 (which links to JTV's satellite channel).
The official said that Channel 3's signal, which used to reach 70 percent of viewers in Amman, Karak, Maan and Aqaba, will be fortified to reach almost all of Amman and other surrounding cities. He said that once an agreement is reached with a film distribution company, Channel 3 would broadcast for seven to eight hours, during prime time.
The official did not elaborate on the technicalities of any such future agreement or say how much it would cost. While certain officials say it would not cost the corporation anything, others say the corporation would likely have to pay for rights to air movies, which could be pricey.
“This joint venture does not mean that Channel 3 is being sold or leased or that it is undergoing a privatization process. Rather, it would provide our viewers with the option of watching a good movie channel,” he added.
“Channel 1, Channel 2 and 3 have not been properly utilized. For the past 28 years, they've been providing the same message to the audience through the same programming style, and this is what we want to change,” he said.
The management of the beleaguered corporation was changed last year, in hopes of reviving JRTVC's economic viability by pulling it out of the red and luring back thousands of viewers who sought news and entertainment on satellite channels.
Earlier this month, the new management merged the best of JTV's three channels into one 24-hour "super channel" to cut expenses and restructure the corporation to operate on a financially feasible basis. The move has not been a popular one.
Later steps include measures allowing for better programming that provides several viewership options. He also told the Jordan Times that starting Sunday, Channel 2, which used to air foreign programs, will go on air for six hours.
The channel was redirected to transmit light events including sports and open Parliament sessions. The official said there would be two set sport programs, with a parliament session or program in between.
As of Sunday, Channel 2 transmission will focus on live sporting events for which the corporation already pays rights to air, but had no time to transmit. Transmission will start at 4:00 pm and is expected to last till 10:00 or 11:00 pm, depending on live events.
Sports programs, which attract large audiences, are expected to draw revenues to the channel, which has consumed millions of dinars but returned very little to the coffers of JTV. — ( Jordan Times )
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
