NBC gets broadcast right to arts festival

Caption:   (L) NBC MD  Memafu Kapera and NCC Act Director Jacob Simet posing with the signed agreements.

Caption:  (L) NBC MD  Memafu Kapera and NCC Act Director Jacob Simet posing with the dummy cheque for the broadcast payment.

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, May 21, 2014 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

NATIONAL Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has taken out the rights to broadcast the upcoming Melanesian Arts Festival that will be held in Port Moresby from June 28 to July 11.

The signing of the broadcast rights also coincided with the granting of permission to the organisers of the festival to use the broadcaster’s transmitter site as a car park for those attending the festivities at the festival village which is adjacent to the proposed parking space.

With the partnership worth over K1 million, half of the cost of coverage expenses will be put up by the broadcaster itself along with the other half of almost K520,000 paid by National Cultural Commission (NCC) to NBC during the signing.

NBC Managing Director Memafu Kapera, said that the country played a vital role in taking the lead in both cultural and diplomatic front in the region.

“As the national broadcaster we have a responsibility to broadcast the important event that is to take place in June to the whole country,” Kapera said.

He announced that the broadcast would also cover the four satellite venues of Wewak, Mt Hagan, Alotau, and Kokopo via radio broadcasts.

“We are privileged to capture this event on behalf of the government, people, and those in the Pacific.”

Acting Director of NCC Jacob Simet said that despite interest from other media groups from abroad- it seemed logistical and ethical to go with NBC.

“There were expressions to do the job from around the world, however, we decided to go with our own national broadcaster,” Mr Simet said.

“The reasons being that of logistical and ethical aspects and with the capacity of NBC all here in the city and around the country, and also the control of the state through the broadcaster to ensure a positive portrayal of the festival over the two week was paramount in the decision.”

He added that with all the publicity already undertaken- he felt that they had not reached the entire population, something he said would be achieved with NBC.

The signing created an opportunity for NBC to also present its assistance to UNESCO PNG in hosting a similar cultural based event in the UNESCO Global village festival with K15,000 for the events that will be staged today, till Friday.