BOL Network

BOL Network
Native name
 بول
Bol (lit. speak)
Industry Media and publishing house
Founder Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh,[1] Viqas Atiq [2]
Headquarters Karachi, Pakistan
Area served
 Pakistan
Products Television Channel
Parent Axact
Website bolnetwork.com

BOL Network (Urdu: بول نیٹ ورک‎) is an media conglomerate based in Karachi.[3] The owner of the media group is a Pakistani businessman, Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, who also serves as the CEO and Chairman of the media network.”[4] The Editor-in-chief of the group was Kamran Khan.[5] The media group houses print and electronic media. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority granted radio and satellite television licenses to the BOL Network.[6][7] These licenses were suspended over reservations but later reinstated by the Ministry of Interior.[8][9]

Following the allegations on Axact scam, the launch date of BOL News channel was announced on May 19, 2015 and the test transmission was started on May 21.[10][11] On 23 May 2015, Kamran Khan, Asma Shirazi and Iftikhar Ahmad left BOL Network due to allegations on Axact.[12]

History

The BOL Network was started by Pakistani businessman, Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh in June 2013. Through BOL, Shoain Shaikh wanted to change the current scenario of Pakistan's media industry by creating an independent media enterprise which will be free from all kinds of influences. The BOL Network emphasizes on portraying the soft image of Pakistan both nationally and globally. The BOL media network includes- Television Channels (News, Entertainment and Sports) - Digital Media (Web, Social Media & Media Apps) - Print Media (Newspaper and Magazines) - Cinemas & Movies - Theatre - Radio.[13]

In 2013, BOL Network announced that it would offer free insurance of up to Rs. 1 Crore to cable operators of Pakistan. Which made it the first entity to offer such a facility to Cable operators.[14]

The head office of BOL Network is situated in Karachi and is call BOListan. The head office includes 33 studios. The multipurpose auditorium of the studio is named Aula. Other than Karachi, BOL's regional headquarters are also situated in Islamabad and Lahore.

In 2014, BOL Network upgraded more than 20,000 public transport vehicles in Pakistan.[15]

Criticism

On October 15, 2013, the Hindustan Times reported that the entry of BOL media electronic player was backed by the ISI, which sparked controversy.[16] Later a corrigendum (an error in a printed work discovered after printing and shown with its correction on a separate sheet) was issued by Hindustan Times.[17][18]

BOL owner Axact has been reported by The New York Times to be involved in extensive diploma mill accreditation scams.[19] They highlighted that Axact wanted to turn their black money to white through BOL Network.

BOL Entertainment

BOL network started its second channel called BOL Entertainment.[20] Nabeel Zafar, a prominent Pakistani entertainer joied BOL Entertainment as its president and CEO.[21]

Bol attempted takeover by ARY Group

Defunct BOL Network and BOL News has been taken over in August 2015 by ARY Digital Network CEO Salman Iqbal, who said that the decision is taken in view to provide career protection to media industry and its workers.[22] The founder of ARY Group said the his media group would launch the transmission of the channel within three weeks.[23] On September 30, 2015, it was announced that the deal between the owners of BOL and ARY Digital Network had fallen through, and Salman Iqbal was no longer involved in the management of the company.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Shoaib Shaikh - BOL Leadership". www.bolnetwork.com.
  2. ↑ "Viqas Atiq - BOL Leadership". www.bolnetwork.com.
  3. ↑ "BOL Network boss promises biggest ever corporate launch". journalismpakistan.com.
  4. ↑ Talal, Syed. "ARY Quits BOL Network Takeover". Prop Pakistani.
  5. ↑ "Kami Khan - BOL leadership". www.bolnetwork.com.
  6. ↑ "BOL TV licence: court issues notice to PEMRA, Axact, Labbaik". pakistanpressfoundation.org.
  7. ↑ "LHC asks Pemra to remove doubts over Bol TV license". The Nation. 5 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "What leads Interior Ministry to withdraw NOC of Bol TV?". Daily Times.
  9. ↑ "PEMRA hears plea against BOL TV licence". pakistanpressfoundation.org.
  10. ↑ Web Desk (May 20, 2015). "BOL News Official Launch Date Announced". Brand Synario. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  11. ↑ Raj Baddhan (May 19, 2015). "BOL TV announces launch date amid controversy". Media 247. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  12. ↑ Web Desk (May 23, 2015). "Exodus from Bol begins over Axact scandal". Express Tribune. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Big Names in Pakistani Media Making the Move to BOL TV". ZemTV.
  14. ↑ "BOL Network announces free life insurance of up to Rs. 1 crore to cable operators across Pakistan". Pakistan Tribe.
  15. ↑ "BOL Family Program providing Rozgar upgrading Public Transport: Simply CSR or Brilliant Marketing Strategy?". Media Watch 360.
  16. ↑ "Hindustan Times e-Paper". hindustantimes.com.
  17. ↑ "Indian campaign on ISI exposed". The Express Tribune.
  18. ↑ "A clarification".
  19. ↑ Declan Walsh (May 17, 2015). "Fake Diplomas, Real Cash: Pakistani Company Axact Reaps Millions". The New York Times.
  20. ↑ "Content for the Entire Family". BOL Network.
  21. ↑ Sadiq, Rida. "Nabeel Joins Bol Entertainment as President and CEO". Brand Synario.
  22. ↑ "ARY CEO and Founder Salman Iqbal takes over BOL Network management — says BOL will be launched in three weeks". ARY SERVICES LTD UK. ARYNEWS.tv. August 19, 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "ARY announces Bol TV takeover". Web Desk. The Express Tribune News Network. August 18, 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "Twitter Status". Twitter.
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