Tonga Broadcasting restructured to avoid closing down due to financial crisis, says TBC chair

The Tonga Broadcasting Commission was restructured to save it from being closed down, the Commission’s chair, Dr. Tu’i Uata said.

Dr Uata told Kaniva News the TBC faced being shut down in two months because it was running at a loss despite having a strong “technical” management to make sure it is functioned financially.

Dr Uata blamed the situation on the way the TBC news was being created and broadcast.

He said: “The problem is that the content is not popular, that’s why it ran at a loss.”

He said he had launched a reform at TBC which based on the idea that everything in the organisation has to be “people centred” and focus on customers.

Two senior and long serving journalists at TBC were moved out of the newsroom and moved into the sales and marketing department.

Laumanu Petelō, the editor and Viola Ulakai, the news manager, were moved to a new department within the sales section known as NGO.

Chief engineer Solomone Fīnau has since been appointed acting general manager and Vilisoni Tu’iniua was taking care of the newsroom.

Dr Uata said he wanted to put a stop to the “loss” so that the organisation could be profitable.

“According to the public enterprise law which we are under, if the organisation is not financially viable or it cannot be able to perform like you (Kaniva News), there is a ground for dismissal,” Dr Uata said.

“TBC cash flow will shut down in two months, and all will go home.”

Dr Uata said this was his priority at this stage. “That’s the reality,” he said.

He said he was concerned at TBC being operating at loss.

Dr Uata was asked about Petelō and Ulakai’s expertise in marketing as they had been in the newsroom for most of their services.

In his response he said: “The expertise should bring in revenues and not to cause loss to the people’s tax money.”

The reform comes after Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva told Kaniva News in an interview that the TBC had run at a loss for many years because the majority of sponsors and listeners moved and used other private broadcasters.

In February the government, which is TBC’s main sponsor, injected TP$200,000 (US$89,164) to the broadcaster to support its operations.


SOURCE: KANIVA TONGA NEWS/PACNEWS