NTV microwave receivers confiscated
Feb 06, 2007
The Broadcasting Council will not return the two microwave receivers it confiscated from Nation TV Uganda (NTV) until the 155-metre mast on Kololo Hill is repaired.
By John Odyek
The Broadcasting Council will not return the two microwave receivers it confiscated from Nation TV Uganda (NTV) until the 155-metre mast on Kololo Hill is repaired.
NTV rents the mast from the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC).
The TV’s equipment was seized on Friday on grounds that it had increased the weight on the mast, which the council said was overcrowded and threatening to fall. Sources described the antenna as the ‘last straw breaking the camel’s back.’
They added that the antenna weighs about 400kg, while those of other stations weigh about 200kg.
But NTV officials insisted that their mast weighs 240kg and UBC approved it.
The head of the council, Godfrey Mutabazi, yesterday said the regulator wanted to improve the broadcasting standards.
“The regulatory body maintains its position. It has confiscated the equipment until all the regulatory issues are complied with. There are other people whose equipment we have confiscated because of non-compliance with the regulation.â€
Mutabazi explained that NTV has a provisional licence and had not called the council to inspect its equipment as required by the law.
The NTV general manager, Victor Ngei, argued: “We are asking the council to explain to us all the technical issues. We also ask UBC to clean up the mast.â€
He said the TV station had asked the council to reinstate its transmission.
“If you shut us down without telling us the issues, it is not fair. We want an environment where we can do business. The mast has not been condemned.â€
Other sources said UBC was prepared to rectify the problem on the tower without switching off NTV.
UBC chief Musinguzi Mugasa said their engineers were cleaning up the mast.
Many stations find it cost-effective to rent the mast from UBC rather build their own. TV stations pay $3,000 (sh5.3m) per month, while FM radio stations pay between $600-$1200 (sh1m-sh2m).
UBC owns two masts. The other one is 200 metres.
The first mast hosts three television stations: NTV, Record and Channel.
It also hosts seven FM radio stations.
The second mast hosts six television stations: WBS, TOP, Pulse, East Africa, UBC and Multi-Choice.
It also houses several FM radio stations. The mast is reportedly full.
The broadcasting council accuses NTV of broadcasting from their transmission room on Kololo Hill instead of their studios at Serena Hotel Kampala.
It said NTV did not provide air conditioning in the room to reduce the risk of a fire outbreak.
But the station managers claim they briefly operated from the room when they experienced technical problems but returned to their studios at Serena Hotel.
Kagole Kivumbi, the secretary of the council, said: “If we were against NTV we would have gone to Serena Hotel where their studios are. If UBC does not comply, we shall remove all the stations.†He noted that other broadcasters had complained of inconvenience on the mast. “The problem should not be politicised.â€
The Broadcasting Council will not return the two microwave receivers it confiscated from Nation TV Uganda (NTV) until the 155-metre mast on Kololo Hill is repaired.
NTV rents the mast from the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC).
The TV’s equipment was seized on Friday on grounds that it had increased the weight on the mast, which the council said was overcrowded and threatening to fall. Sources described the antenna as the ‘last straw breaking the camel’s back.’
They added that the antenna weighs about 400kg, while those of other stations weigh about 200kg.
But NTV officials insisted that their mast weighs 240kg and UBC approved it.
The head of the council, Godfrey Mutabazi, yesterday said the regulator wanted to improve the broadcasting standards.
“The regulatory body maintains its position. It has confiscated the equipment until all the regulatory issues are complied with. There are other people whose equipment we have confiscated because of non-compliance with the regulation.â€
Mutabazi explained that NTV has a provisional licence and had not called the council to inspect its equipment as required by the law.
The NTV general manager, Victor Ngei, argued: “We are asking the council to explain to us all the technical issues. We also ask UBC to clean up the mast.â€
He said the TV station had asked the council to reinstate its transmission.
“If you shut us down without telling us the issues, it is not fair. We want an environment where we can do business. The mast has not been condemned.â€
Other sources said UBC was prepared to rectify the problem on the tower without switching off NTV.
UBC chief Musinguzi Mugasa said their engineers were cleaning up the mast.
Many stations find it cost-effective to rent the mast from UBC rather build their own. TV stations pay $3,000 (sh5.3m) per month, while FM radio stations pay between $600-$1200 (sh1m-sh2m).
UBC owns two masts. The other one is 200 metres.
The first mast hosts three television stations: NTV, Record and Channel.
It also hosts seven FM radio stations.
The second mast hosts six television stations: WBS, TOP, Pulse, East Africa, UBC and Multi-Choice.
It also houses several FM radio stations. The mast is reportedly full.
The broadcasting council accuses NTV of broadcasting from their transmission room on Kololo Hill instead of their studios at Serena Hotel Kampala.
It said NTV did not provide air conditioning in the room to reduce the risk of a fire outbreak.
But the station managers claim they briefly operated from the room when they experienced technical problems but returned to their studios at Serena Hotel.
Kagole Kivumbi, the secretary of the council, said: “If we were against NTV we would have gone to Serena Hotel where their studios are. If UBC does not comply, we shall remove all the stations.†He noted that other broadcasters had complained of inconvenience on the mast. “The problem should not be politicised.â€