NATCOM holds interactive session with radio operators and broadcasters in Bo City
The National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) has organized a one day interactive session with radio operators and broadcasters drawn from the eastern and southern regions respectively.
The interactive session which took place at the Bo District Council hall, Sewa Road in Bo, attracted a good number of media practitioners and radio operators.
In his welcome address, the deputy mayor of the Bo city council Mohamed Wurie Jalloh thanked all present for coming noting that, the workshop is timely to addressing the issue of radio frequency in Sierra Leone. He pledged his council’s fullest support to the operations of NATCOM.
The deputy mayor however appealed to the commission to be organizing regular training programmes for journalists to always keep them in tune with the modern technology.
Giving his opening remarks, the chairman for the programme Dr. Alusine Jabbie Sesay said, NATCOM is a commission established by an act of parliament to monitor the communication system in Sierra Leone.
He said, they called on all radio operators and broadcasters in order to see how they can find ways and means to stop this radio interference amongst radio stations.
Dr. Sesay revealed that, one of the things in the telecommunication act is strict adherence to the specific band that which nobody can go beyond it to disturb others. He noted that they are concerned about the content and the way to sound broadcasting.
He admonished all radio presenters to be mindful in their broadcasting while on duty as the microphone is very quick to make and unmake. The chairman described the current trend of engineering as very terrible.
Mr. Sesay however disclosed to his audience that all radio stations in the country have to take an examination for better broadcasting in Sierra Leone.
Responding, the chairman Bo District council Joseph Munda Bindi pointed out that, the workshop is timely as it opens the doors for feedback to plan properly to implement good policies. The role of the media in any society is very crucial and therefore cannot be underestimated.
According to Joseph Munda Bindi, the media plays a very important role in information dissemination be it positive or negative. He said, the radio interference discussion is very much important to building the media landscape in Sierra Leone.
Chairman Bindi called on media practioners to support them in their developmental strives adding that they are very instrumental in national development.
Making his statement, the regional chairman for the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) south Samuel Hafner noted that, his association is charged with the responsibility to disseminate proper and accurate information to the people in the southern region and the country as a whole.
He craved on the indulgence for the Independent Media Commission (IMC) to train technicians in order to minimize this radio interference among frequencies of radio stations.
Khalil Kallon is the Desk officer of the Independent Media Commission in Bo. In his statement said, the independent media commission was established by an act of parliament as an autonomous body for the regulation of mass media institutions and other related matters.
He said, the focus of the workshop is to deal with the technical concept of interference, the effects and the prevention of interference primarily interference in the FM band, that is when stations in the FM band interfere with each other.
Mr. Kallon categorically stated that, interference has adverse effects on a radio station broadcast and operations, leading to loss in quality of service, listenership and revenues for commercial radios, pointing out that, this is a significant challenge for any radio station operator and that is what the workshop aims to address.
Valuable statements were delivered by Charles Kailie who represented the Resident Minister and Ambrose Kijan who made statement on behalf of the Paramount chief of Kakua Chiefdom among others.
Mohamed Saccoh
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