Top Radio And TV, Mama FM Shut
Jan 08, 2004
THE Broadcasting Council yesterday shut down four Kampala-based FM radio stations and one television station over non-payment of license fees, reports <b>Solomon Muyita.</b>
THE Broadcasting Council yesterday shut down four Kampala-based FM radio stations and one television station over non-payment of license fees, reports Solomon Muyita.
Kampala African Radio (KARA FM) at Kamwokya, Mama FM at Kisaasi, Kampala FM, TOP Radio and TOP TV, all on Naguru Hill, were closed between noon and 4:00pm.
A team led by the council’s operations officer, Dennis Lukaaya, and the finance and administration officer, Moses Tibamanya, confiscated the studio transmission link (STL) from each station.
There was drama at every station as the owners tried to deny the team access to their studios.
Lukaaya said the stations had not paid up and lacked operating licenses.
Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga and his wife Pastor Evelyn, of the New Life Ministries, the proprietors of the Naguru-based stations, went out of their way in an attempt to block the disconnection process.
The Ssenyongas tried to block the council team from leaving the hill with the equipment. Ssenyonga later trailed them in his Pajero from Naguru, through Kisaasi up to Ntinda Police Post, where the team took refuge.
“I am your biggest client with six radio stations and a TV. No one pays you even half of what I pay. I pay your taxes and salary, but how could you embarrass me by shutting me down and taking away my machines like that,†Ssenyonga barked.
Ssenyonga, his wife and Lukaaya called each other liars. After failing to get back the machines, TOP Radio carried its studio machines to the national transmitter on Kololo Hill and reconnected themselves, a couple of hours after the disconnection.
When Lukaaya’s team learnt of it, it raided Kololo Hill, disconnected the station and confiscated the equipment carried there.
Lukaaya said on top of arrears of over sh50m, New Life Ministries would face a hefty fine for their actions.
Mama FM’s director, Margaret Ssentamu, shed tears when the team raided her station at 3:00pm.
“We are a non-profit making station just here to save the nation. It’s really unfair for the Broadcasting Council to put a blanket fee for all stations, commercial or non-commercial,†she told The New Vision.
Radio stations are supposed to pay sh3m for the operating licence per year but most of them have not paid a penny since they went on air.
The operation continues up-country today.
Ends
Kampala African Radio (KARA FM) at Kamwokya, Mama FM at Kisaasi, Kampala FM, TOP Radio and TOP TV, all on Naguru Hill, were closed between noon and 4:00pm.
A team led by the council’s operations officer, Dennis Lukaaya, and the finance and administration officer, Moses Tibamanya, confiscated the studio transmission link (STL) from each station.
There was drama at every station as the owners tried to deny the team access to their studios.
Lukaaya said the stations had not paid up and lacked operating licenses.
Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga and his wife Pastor Evelyn, of the New Life Ministries, the proprietors of the Naguru-based stations, went out of their way in an attempt to block the disconnection process.
The Ssenyongas tried to block the council team from leaving the hill with the equipment. Ssenyonga later trailed them in his Pajero from Naguru, through Kisaasi up to Ntinda Police Post, where the team took refuge.
“I am your biggest client with six radio stations and a TV. No one pays you even half of what I pay. I pay your taxes and salary, but how could you embarrass me by shutting me down and taking away my machines like that,†Ssenyonga barked.
Ssenyonga, his wife and Lukaaya called each other liars. After failing to get back the machines, TOP Radio carried its studio machines to the national transmitter on Kololo Hill and reconnected themselves, a couple of hours after the disconnection.
When Lukaaya’s team learnt of it, it raided Kololo Hill, disconnected the station and confiscated the equipment carried there.
Lukaaya said on top of arrears of over sh50m, New Life Ministries would face a hefty fine for their actions.
Mama FM’s director, Margaret Ssentamu, shed tears when the team raided her station at 3:00pm.
“We are a non-profit making station just here to save the nation. It’s really unfair for the Broadcasting Council to put a blanket fee for all stations, commercial or non-commercial,†she told The New Vision.
Radio stations are supposed to pay sh3m for the operating licence per year but most of them have not paid a penny since they went on air.
The operation continues up-country today.
Ends