Broadcasters have until Sept 27 to renew licences

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon said yesterday that authorized broadcasters have until September 27 to renew their licenses for the continuation of their broadcast service.

Speaking at a weekly post cabinet press briefing, Luncheon said that the Broadcast Act of 2011 entered into force on August 28 this year and as such every person carrying on an authorized broadcast service immediately before that date (August 28) shall within 30 days make an application to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority for a licence for the continuation of the broadcast Service. Broadcasters, he said shall also send a copy of their application to the National Frequency Management Unit or its successor.

The Broadcast Act was passed in June 2011 without the support of the PNCR, the main opposition party at the time. It envisages the establishment of the National Broadcasting Authority with a Governing Board, which will comprise not less than four and not more than seven persons, one of whom shall be its Chairperson.

The Authority will be responsible among other things for establishing classes of licences, the issuing of licences for terms not exceeding ten years and for the suspension and revocation of licences.