SLBC Assures Political Party Equal Airtime
The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC) has assured all political parties of equal airtime ahead of the November 17 polls.
Speaking at a two-day workshop organized by the SLBC at Hotel Barmoi in Freetown on June 28th, Director General, Elvis Gbanabom Hallowell said all political parties are going to be given equal coverage and opportunities to display their views. He said such was part of the mandate of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation to provide equal access to members of the various political parties to say their opinions and views on issues relating to national politics.
Elvis Gbanabome Hallowell said the Act which established the SLBC is clear on this mandate adding that the corporation has purposed special training guidelines to members of their staff on how to handle elections and electioneering issues professionally to ensure a fair game play.
The Director maintained that the cooperation has decided to give out equal quotas to political parties in order to maintain their neutrality and transparency exhibiting the true reason they were established for to serve as the mouthpiece of the public.
Representatives of various political parties complained that the cooperation has not been clinical enough in discharging it duties fairly as most aired programs fail to give prominence to some activities carried out by political parties that are not in power using the phrase of “the SLBC of today is different than the one of yester years”
Speaking on behalf of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie argued that the SLBC is considered as a mother to all and sundry; therefore it must be seen acting in that direction which is to ensure that they treat each political party fairly as the cooperation was established to serve the public – upon being transformed into a public Broadcaster.
Notable state institutions such as the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the Independent Media Commission (IMC), and Political Party Registration Commission (PPRC), were present at this two-day work shop and delivered solemn speeches on the level of neutrality the cooperation should maintain.
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Haji Bangura (UK)
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The above premise is uttered bonkers or none sense. The National Broadcasting media outlet(SLBC) has to remain neutral and independent from tittle tattle and political interference. All Sierra Leoneans and all political parties have to be treated as equals in other to demonstrate fairness and uphold the ethoes of free speech and the credibilty of our media entity.
11th July 2012The SLBC is not for sale,thus the author of the above rhetoric should either shut up or pack up.The days of bribery is an history as far as the SLBC is concerned.This is SLBC of the 21st century,if you dont like it you may go back to the stone or dark ages.SHAME ON YOU DING DONG.
Samu067
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What is this none sense about equal airtime. For goodness sake those who have money to pay for air time should be heard, and those who don’t have the money should stay quiet
5th July 2012