Malawi awards 15 broadcasting licences
- Published on 30 July 2012
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Fifteen broadcasting licences have been awarded to radio and television stations in Malawi by the country’s communications regulatory authority.
Malawi’s Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) awarded television licences to Times Television, a subsidiary of The Times Group; Zodiak Broadcasting Station; Chancellor College Community; Adventist; Timveni; Good News and Beta TV.
Other applicants awarded radio broadcasting licenses are Central African Presbyterian Synods of Blantyre, Nkhoma and Livingstonia; Chancellor College Community; Matindi; Mwandama and Bua FM.
Malawi’s Minister of Information, Moses Kunkuyu, said that the liberalisation of the broadcasting industry in the country was one of the less publicised goals of President Joyce Banda administration.
“It is a clear manifestation that government has set its priority towards empowering Malawians through information knowledge.
"Government will ensure that diversity of views in the media is guaranteed. One way of doing this will be the continued granting of broadcasting licences to independent television and radio stations,” said Kunkuyu.
However, the announcement of names of successful broadcasters came barely a few days after the Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Malawi) wrote to about delays in granting licenses.
Nevertheless, the new licenses in Malawi bring the total of broadcasters to over 50.
