A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is calling on Broadcasters to reject the $2.5M license fee, which has been implemented by the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority.
At a press conference this morning, Thursday July 11, APNU stated that the license fee is a massive increase from the sum of $240,000 which Television Broadcasters previously paid annually.
“The issue of Licensing Fees brings into sharp focus APNU’s concerns about the Broadcast Act No 13 of 2011 and some of its provisions which offend freedom of expression guaranteed in Article 146 of the Guyana Constitution.
The clear direction of the Government Cabinet in the affairs of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority makes the authority less than Independent and Autonomous as it intended to be.”
According to the opposition political party, television stations that are perceived to be sympathetic to the views expressed by the Opposition will be targeted in this technique of fees manipulation to make it less profitable to operate and eventually put them out of business.
“In an environment where advertising dollars is a scarce commodity, where state owned media competes for the same advertising dollar as the private broadcast media, where advertisers have expressed fear of victimization when they advertise on certain TV stations, the time when the TV stations can be faced with closure cannot be far off.”
According to the party, the Broadcast Act 13 of 2011 which gives the President the power to appoint 6 of the 7 members of the authority without consultation permits a level of arbitrariness and interference by Government.
“A Partnership for National Unity will soon table deep amendments to this act and in the meantime call on the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority to meet with the Television Broadcasters and rationally review the Licensing Fee.”
