in October

TV to start in October

The Fiji Television Corporation still has October as its target date for the commencement of Fiji’s first broadcast television service despite a change of Government in Fiji and a change of ownership of the parent company of Fiji TV.

The Kerry Packer group owners of Channel Nine TV network in Australia had negotiated with the Alliance Governmcnt for a 12 year licence on behalf of their subsidiary company publicity and broadcasting limited PEL to set up Fiji’s first television service. However earlier this year Australia’s Bond Corporation took over PEL from the Kerry Packer group and Mr David Aspinall was appointed the chairman of PEL

and Fiji TV on the resignation of Kerry Packer’s man Mr Lynton Taylor. In his first meeting with the Fiji media after the board meeting of FUI TV Mr Aspinall said FUI TV was geared to begin broadcasting from the second week in October. How ever, he was not prepared to answer any questions regarding the review of the TV contract now being carried out by Fiji’s Ministry of Information at the request of the new Labour/NFP Coalition government in Fiji, Observers say the new coali tion government wants the 12 year period of monoply given to Channel Nine be reduced to 5 to 7 years. Also it wants to re-examine the social impact

study report as well as justica tion of the preference given to Channel Nine over other pro posals on the setting up of a tv service for Fiji.

Cabinet is yet to organise the drafting of a Television Act for Fiji. However, these issues were of little concern to Mr Aspinall when he held his news confer ence at the Suva Travelodge.

He said he was not worried that there was no Television Act in Fiji yet. He said under the agreement it was the Govern ment’s responsibility. Mr Aspi nall said a lot of work has already been done in prepara tion for the launch in October.

Transmitting sites had been cleared awaiting the arrival of transmitters and microwave equipment. Construction work on the studio complex was to begin soon and Mr Aspinall said studio equipment as well as an OB Van being built in Australia would arrive by July. He said the training programme for staff was also running according to

schedule. On programme con tent Mr Aspinall said FUI TV will bring a truly international televi sion service to Fiji. It will have at least 20 percent local content and will include news, public affairs, sports and service prog rammes. Mr Aspinall was confi dent that Fiji TV will eventually make a profit. He said advertis ing rates were being prepared by the general manager of Fiji TV Mr John Hall and Mr Ross Edwards of Australia.

Initially the rates are ex pected to be kept at about three times the maximum rates charged by the national radio service in Fiji for a 30 sec ad.

Currently Radio Fiji Charges about $3O and the TV rate is around $lOO. At his Suva news conference Mr Aspinall also confirmed that Bond Corpora tion was also interested in other projects in the South Pacific besides Fiji and Papua New Guinea. From our Suva Correspondent.