MBC, TVM boards to be dissolved in readiness for merger - newspaper

President Bingu wa Mutharika is to announce the dissolution of the boards of state media houses Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Television Malawi to appoint a merged board, Nyasa Times understands. The government formed a task force last year to work out a merger of the national radio and sole television station. The task force completed its report and recommended to government for the merger to take place shortly, according to Director of Public Relations at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education Mike Kamwendo.

The new organisation born out of the merger will adopt the name MBC and will be re-registered as a public broadcaster with Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.

“The boards of MBC and TVM will be dissolved and the President will use his prerogative powers to appoint board members of the new board which will house the two institutions into one entity,” said an official in the Office of President and Cabinet.

Chairperson of the parliamentary media committee Beston Lijenda could not comment on the merger development saying his committee would need to scrutinise the report. Lijenda, formerly an employee of MBC, said however that the national broadcaster needed a “new lease of life”.