NBC told to earn income

 By HELEN TARAWA  

The Government cannot continue to fund State-owned organisations that don’t generate income to sustain their operations, Information and Communication Jimmy Miringtoro says. 

Responding to comments on funding for the National Broadcasting Corporation this year, Minister Miringtoro told The National that NBC has become a liability to the Government since 1975.

“The problems that we have in NBC are things that have been inherent since 1975,” Mirintoro said. 

“This government in its wisdom sees that unless the administration comes up with vigorous plans on how to transform NBC then the Government may put money so that it can start to bring change and generate income,” he said. 

He said the previous management has done its bit but they haven’t elevated NBC yet.  

“Maybe the ideas were there but they were constrained by other things which they cannot do things the way they were thinking. We cannot continue to hold onto things that cannot work; we must always find innovative ideas,” he said. 

He said the Government had depleted the budget for NBC and the management has to find another way to make money so it doesn’t rely on Government’s spending.

“It should be the other way around, NBC should be paying money back to the Government through its operation.”

NBC only receives about K27 million every year for its budget allocation.