Grange defends lease to Nationwide

[Lazie]

Published: Thursday | January 22, 2009


Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

GOVERNMENT HAS defended as prudent, Cabinet's move to lease the spectrum which was reserved for public broadcasting, to a private enterprise.
Opposition Spokesperson on Information, Lisa Hanna, had questioned the rationale behind the lease of FM 90 to Nationwide News Network. She has charged that the arrangement was untidy and resembled a sweetheart deal.
But responding to questions in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Grange said the decision to grant a lease to Nationwide came out of a legitimate business proposal from the media entity.
"The submission was unique, unsolicited and was considered to be meritorious since it proposed enhancing the scope of public broadcasting by the addition of an independent, privately operated radio dimension to the existing television offering and the conversion of Kool FM to public-service radio," Grange said.
Business proposal
Grange said that Nationwide approached the Ministry of Information with a proposal to use FM 90 for its programming, following which an arrangement was worked out.
Hanna questioned why the arrangement was not open to tender but Grange said it would have been unfair to Nationwide to open up their business proposal to competition.
According to Grange, the matter was submitted to the National Contracts Commission for consideration and that body determined that "the proposal is an economic opportunity and not a procurement" and recommended that the matter be referred to the Cabinet, which gave the agreement its blessings.
Under the terms of the lease, Nationwide is to pay the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) $5 million and then a subsequent annual payment of $5 million or five per cent of net annual revenues, whichever is greater," Grange said.
The information minister said that Nationwide will be responsible for the editorial content of the programming. She also said that Nationwide's programming will be monitored by the PBCJ. Meanwhile, Grange failed to respond to questions about possible sanctions if Nationwide fails to abide by programming guidelines.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ews/news3.html

[Lazie]

I guess Lisa simply wants to be heard. Whats the fuss about? Nationwide's new coverage is better than Power106 and NewsTalk and their discussion programs This Morning and Nationwide at 5 are very informative. Why are they being locked away on the AM band?

[Mosiah]

Any concern that

the spectrum which was reserved for public broadcasting, (is being given) to a private enterprise.

?

[Lazie]

Any concern that ?

.. and to my understanding its being used to play music! Again, whats the fuss?

[Bricktop]

"Given"? Dem nah pay fi it?

[Rockman]

"The information minister said that Nationwide will be responsible for the editorial content of the programming."

Huge problem, the ills of media consolidation, and the privatization of slated public entities.
Also,competition(allowing other bids) is not only healthy, it is probably required by law.Sponsors now rule!





Blessed

[Mosiah]

Yes, but the fact that there was no tender...it was given!

[Me]

It was proposed by them. It is quite common all over the world to have negotiated and competitive contracts. Negotiated driven by the thoughts or unique proposals of the private entity. You don't take their idea and then send every one an RFP for their bid.

[Assasin]

Wonder if mi can come up with a proposal and plan and give Bruce and Babsy?

While public broadcasting in Ja make no sense as it is far from profitable and nobody listen to it, it would make a lot more sense if they open this up to public tender.

while the quality of NNN is good but this is a can of worms. What the government need to do is sell all these license and make it mandatory for a certain amout of government time be available to the public.

[Rockman]

Keeping it a public entity regulates even the Govt, regarding Nationwide...., those that need to be regulated are regulating themselves.
It is non profit by design.



Blessed

[Rockman]

Well that is the problem, if the Govt is entertaining "must have" ideas, why not listen to more?

Blessed

[Assasin]

"Keeping it a public entity regulates even the Govt"

Wishful thinking, this is Jamaica. Do you remember JBC? what was regulated about it? other than than it been used as a poliitcal tool?

[Rockman]

It can get worse, and it is apparent!
Besides, I am sure YOU will agree with stripping the Govt of those arrogated rights by not being party to the Govt and Nationwide(quite possibly collaborationists)further eroding the few avenues of recourse available to people. It is with explicit consent of the Govt...



Blessed

[Assasin]

that is why I say make them all privately owned with a few hours guranteed for government produced stuff and then monitor each station broadcast through the commission they already have.

There is no better solution. too much slackness gwaan a government run radio station.

[Lazie]

I guess Lisa Hanna not stopping letting go of this one.

NNN vs Hannah over lease of Gov’t frequency Friday, 23 January 2009 A row has erupted between Lisa Hanna, Opposition Spokesman on Information and Cliff Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide News Network (NNN), over the leasing
of a Government owned public broadcasting radio frequency to the media company.

Cabinet approved the lease of FM 90 spectrum to NNN after stating that it was approached by the Cliff Hughes-led enterprise with a business proposal to use the spectrum for its programming.

The Government has defended its decision to approve the deal and in Parliament on Tuesday, argued that it was legitimately approve.

Miss Hanna however is not satisfied with the Government's explanation about the deal which she contends is untidy.

"The Government is not procuring anything, it is selling something and if it is an economic opportunity which is what the Minister (Information Minister Olivia ‘Babsy' Grange) proposed, it should have gone to tender.

It means that other people who were interested didn't have the opportunity to bid at the end of the day, (you're left wondering) whether the country is receiving fair market value for one of its assets ... none of theses questions (have been) answered," said Miss Hanna Thursday on RJR's daily current affairs discussion programme, Beyond the Headlines.

Fundamentally flawed

The Nationwide CEO however fired back at Miss Hanna.

He said she was misinformed about how the deal with the Government materialized and insisted that the granting of the spectrum lease was above board.

"I am saying to you Lisa, if it were an idea coming form Government to dispose of or lease the asset, then by all means it would have to go (to tender) but it could not go that route you're suggesting when it is was an unsolicited proposal ... go check the Government's rules and regulations ... so the premise of your arguments are fundamentally flawed," said Mr. Hughes, who was also speaking on Beyond the Headlines.


http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/15107/26/