Prime Minister and Minister for Information Sitiveni Rabuka announced in Parliament that an additional $3.1 million has been allocated as a public service broadcasting (PSB) grant to media organizations under the Ministry of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics. This new funding is open for tender to various media companies.
Rabuka noted that the existing $7 million has been designated for the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) for a three-year period starting August 1, 2023. He also mentioned that the newly appointed FBCL board, which began its term on January 11, 2023, proposed a 44 percent reduction in PSB fees for both radio and television. This reduction aims to lessen FBC’s dependence on PSB fees and promote the development of a self-sustaining business model for the national broadcaster.
The Prime Minister highlighted that these changes have been implemented without disrupting the current operations of the organization and its staff. Historically, the government relied solely on FBC for public service broadcasting in radio and television. However, to promote fairness and healthy competition within the media sector, the Government plans to include additional service providers, ensuring broader coverage of public interest issues.