Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Tuesday auctioned five licences for satellite television channels.

Galaxy Network was awarded the licence of ‘News’ category channel, after offering a Rs 63.5 million bid for the same.

Bol Enterprises was awarded the Entertainment category for Rs 48.5 million.

Educational Channel licence was awarded to Ms/ Renaissance for Rs 10.5 million whereas the licence for health channel went to Glam Network.

Media Roots was awarded the licence for agriculture television channel for Rs 10.5 million.

The only bidder for Sports television channel, M-Record, failed to turn up so its auction was deferred.

Earlier in his address, Chairman PEMRA Salim Baig said that the electronic media watchdog was holding auction of six satellite television channel licences through open and transparent bidding.

He expressed the hope that after arrival of these satellite channels, there would be an increase in healthy competition in the media industry.

Director General Licencing Vakil Ahmed Khan said that the process of bidding TV channels had started in 2014 originally. However, due to stay orders from courts, the process was delayed.