The Fijian Broadcasting Corporation will receive $6.6 million this financial year to provide public service broadcasting through radio and television.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka clarified in Parliament that this allocation is part of a broader effort to reduce FBC’s reliance on government funding and promote self-sustainability.

He states that prior to the 2023-24 financial year, the government had exclusively engaged FBC for public service broadcasting, costing $10.4 million annually.

This included fees for producing radio programs and operating two radio stations, as well as for broadcasting TV programs on the FBC2 channel.

“To ensure fairness in a level playing field, as was stated in the Cabinet release after that Cabinet meeting, Government intends to engage other service providers to ensure a wider reach on issues of public interest and fair competition in the media industry.”

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]

Rabuka states that from August 2023, the Coalition Government and the new FBC Board proposed a 44 per `cent reduction in these fees, leading to a new contract with a total allocation of $7.2 million (inclusive of VAT) for three years, ending in July 2026.

This includes $4.6 million for radio and $2.6 million for TV.

For the 2024-25 financial year, the government has allocated $10.4 million for public service broadcasting, with $6.2 million going to FBC and $4.2 million to other media service providers.

Rabuka adds that this move aims to ensure fair competition and a wider reach for issues of public interest through a tender process involving multiple service providers.

He made the comments while responding to a question raised by Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Tomasi Tunabuna regarding the PSB grant.