Africa-Press – Malawi. A week after the closure of Rainbow Television for not paying Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority(MACRA) license fee in time, the station has been ordered to apply for another licence for it to be back on air.
MACRA Director General, Daudi Suleiman told Maravipost in an interview on Monday July 11,2022 that the time the station was paying the license fee, it had no licence.
Suleiman said the regulator has been engaging with the station since December last year and was given a due date which they did not comply with , contrary to MACRA’s Act.
“Once the licence is revoked, it surely means that there is no licence. So the money paid covers the bill that they were owing us,” said Suileman. He admitted that other stations are still owing the regulator but yet to act on them .
Contrary to Suileman claims, Parliamentary committee on Media and Communication, Chairperson Abul Naliwa said the issue of exceeding of payment by the station can only go with a penalty not a closure as it is right now.
Naliwa said there is need for a dialogue between the two parties so as to avoid commotion that the issue is bringing out to the general public. He said if the two parties fail to agree amicably, the committee will intervene as they would like to see Rainbow back on air.
In an interview with Rainbow TV Station Manager, Aubrey Kusakala said the station is waiting for MACRA official communication on the matter saying after fees payment the station was told to wait for the board to meet on the matter.
On her part, Malawi Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Chairperson, Theresa Ndanga said the body is still discussing with colleagues on the matter before making a position.
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