— five compliant broadcasters issued radio licences, more to receive

THE Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) has issued radio licences to five companies which were deemed “fully compliant” for 2016.
Among the companies that received radio licences were the National Television Network (NTN), I Radio Incorporated, the National Communications Network (NCN), Wireless Connections and Radio Guyana Incorporated.
While other companies which complied are yet to receive their licences, Chairman of the GNBA Leslie Sobers said they have distributed the five licences to “kick start” and regularise the distribution process.

“These licences reflect the period ending December 2016,” Sobers told reporters at the distribution ceremony at the GNBA’s headquarter on Friday.
During the transition of the board of the GNBA in 2015, he said licensing was not done, so they are trying to ensure that the system is returned to normalc, so that they can move forward with some level of order for 2017 and 2018.
The chairman said they have started with radio licences and intend to distribute television and cable licences for 2016 very soon.

“We are still to issue licences for 2017, but we will be approaching that with a little care because as you know the amendment of the broadcast bill was assented to by the President on the 7th of September and came into law on the same day,” Sobers indicated, adding that the new Act which amends the 2011 Broadcast Act has some provisions that were never there.
The GNBA chairman also zoomed in on the new zoning provision that will create a level playing field for small and large broadcasters.
It was explained that in the past, some broadcasters would have had access to any part of the country, especially in some cases, areas where small broadcasters would operate but they all would pay the same base fee.

ZONING
That was reportedly corrected in the amended Act. Sobers explained that they now have a primary zone for radio which pays $22.5M as a base fee per annum while the secondary zone will pay half of that and the tertiary zone, which includes places such as Lethem and Mabaruma, will pay half of what the secondary zone pays. The same system will apply for television operators, but at different prices.

The prices would also determine how they do licences for 2017, said the GNBA’s chairman, adding that they are still to decide whether they are going to prorate from January to September under the old Act and then deal with September to December under the new Act; or if they are going to use one fee for 2017 and start fresh for 2018.
“Those are the two considerations that are before the board that will be decided at the next board meeting before we move towards licensing for 2017,” said Sobers, pointing out that operators who received and will receive their licences for 2016 are governed by the old Broadcast Act.

He said they intend making all their processes vivid and transparent because there were arguments concerning the new Act.
“We were hearing all sorts of arguments concerning the new Act and whether it robs people of any constitutional right, but I can safely say nothing we are doing here is intended to violate any constitutional right… we are not hindering anybody’s freedom of expression and are not hindering anybody’s freedom to receive or disseminate information,” the GNBA chairman explained.

The International Press Institute (IPI) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) had both urged President David Granger not to give assent to the bill in September.
While noting the lack of “consultations with broadcasters in order to take into account their recommendations,” the Paris-based RSF which holds consultative status at the United Nations, asserted that the bill “raises multiple press freedom concerns.”
Citing “local press freedom advocates,” the RSF stated that the bill’s provisions — which include a maximum one million dollar fine and one-year imprisonment for any broadcaster operating without a licence — “threaten the existence of many TV and radio stations, who have operated without a licence since no renewals were ever issued at the time of their expiration.”

The provision mandating that television and radio stations set aside up to 60 minutes per day, between 06:00hrs and 22:00hrs for the broadcast of public service programmes free of charge was also brought up by the International institutions and local broadcasters.
Sobers, however, pointed out that agencies and broadcasters who expressed doubt have applied for licences.

ALLAY THE FEARS
“We trust that the signing of these licences will allay the fears of other broadcasters… we will only look at persons who are in violation of the Act, who have failed to comply and those will be our guiding principles in accordance with regulations which are now part of Act as scheduled,” said the GNBA chairman.
Those broadcasters who re-applied and complied were given the assurance that they will receive licences.
He explained that some have indicated by virtue of application, a disinterest in some frequencies that they have not used for years, so the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) will retrieve them.
In September, the Guyana Chronicle reported that local broadcasters had begun clearing their arrears with the GNBA with the aim of ensuring that they are compliant in preparation for possible licensing.