The state-owned National Communications Network (NCN) and Hits and Jams Entertainment say they are both up to date with their financial obligations to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) and are not among stations to be taken off the air for fees owed.
In response to a Kaieteur News (KN) report yesterday listing them among other stations to be taken off the air “soon” for fees owed, NCN and Hits and Jam both said they were up to date with their financial obligations for all of 2017.
The KN report quoted GNBA Board Chairman Leslie Sobers as saying that he decided against publishing the list of all non-compliant broadcasters and instead gave the newspapers a list of those he deemed compliant.
Stabroek News was yesterday unable to contact Sobers by telephone.
In a press release issued yesterday, the board of NCN said it took its financial obligations “very seriously” and was up to date on all 2017 fees owed to the GNBA for all three of its radio stations, including 98.1 FM, which was mentioned in the KN report. Hits and Jams’ 94.1 Boom FM were also mentioned in the report.
NCN and Hits and Jams said they regretted KN not seeking clarification from them before going to print. Both entities called for prominent apologies.
Hits and Jams also said it noted various instances of attacks on it by KN.
Advising the GNBA to be more circumspect when sharing information, NCN noted that KN was recently awarded a licence for radio broadcasting.
The two advised their clients and listeners that they were fully compliant with the GNBA’s financial regulations and looked forward to building stronger partnerships and serving the listening public.
