NBC turns 37 years old

By ANCILLA WRAKUALE
THE voice of PNG and the largest and oldest radio network in the country, National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) celebrated its 37th anniversary last Friday.
NBC started broadcasting on Dec 3, 1973, after taking over from Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
From its humble beginning two years prior to PNG’s independence, NBC has been reaching out to everyone in PNG by providing them with vital information, knowledge and entertainment through its radio broadcasting services.
NBC acting managing director Memafu Kapera acknowledged the work of the past and present staff for taking NBC to where it is today.
On the same note, he also thanked donor partners such as AusAID for their continuous support.
He also challenged his colleagues to change their working attitude.
“We now need to change our working culture and attitude towards each other,” Kapera said.
He told them that they had to be the agents of change in order to implement the second corporate plan which was also launched that day.
The second phase of the media in development, according to Kapera, will serve as a roadmap to provide service to more than six million people in PNG.
He also said that NBC had to be competitive as there was already a lot of competition and needed government’s support through funding.
“Funding is the most important factor that we run broadcasting for the bulk of our population,” he said.
Minister for Communication and Information Patrick Tammur urged NBC to further increase the broadcast hours as well as the local content of television programmes on Kundu 2.
Tammur also encouraged NBC to continue its close corporation with the National Film Institute in Goroka.
He also expressed satisfaction on the youth network that would be launched next month.
The network is now in its final planning stages and once launched, will serve as the mouthpiece for the young people.