CNS Channel 6 supports Broadcast Bill

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, August 3, 2017

Contrary to some media reports CNS Channel 6 has lent support to the Broadcasting Amendment Bill. Managing Director of CNS Channel Six (6), Savitree Singh Sharma said that her TV station does not have any issues with the bill.

Sharma said that “We don’t have any problem with the amendments because we at Channel 6 have been giving government time from the inception of our station, we have been giving government and not only government but the opposition and the other political parties free air time … since we started this station. (Upon thinking, what the) amendments mean to us, it really wouldn’t bother us because we have been complying with this many years ago”.

Sharma further clarified that the TV Station has no problem with administration’s request to reapply for license to operate within 30 days. “In the past under the PPP administration Mr. Sheik had us reapplying, reapplying and reapplying all the time and sometimes I even suspected that our applications were screwed up and thrown in the bin. So, if this government asks us to once again reapply (to) regularise the system, I don’t have a problem and I know that Channel 6 wouldn’t have a problem with reapplying again”.

Sharma explained that the company was in support of a request for an audience with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, to have further discussions. However, media reports this morning misrepresented the company’s’ intentions.  Sharma pointed out that “I signed a letter asking for an audience with the Prime Minister and nothing else. I have not given my opinion on the broadcast bill and the amendments, I did not say that I am for or against it, all I did is sign a letter asking for an audience with the Prime Minister and I thought that was fair enough”.

The Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2017 was read for the first time in the House on July, 27, 2017. The Bill was brought to the House by First Vice President and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

The Bill amends the Broadcasting Act 2011 to introduce three classes of broadcast services namely, commercial, non-commercial and community classes; and three types of broadcasting zones, namely, primary, secondary and tertiary broadcasting zones.

The Bill provides for public service programmes, the prohibition of programmes containing hate speech. It also addresses an international agreement for broadcasting any channel or programme as part of the local service.

 

By: Gabreila Patram