The National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Radio Wewak has been off air since April 20.
This means that there is a blackout in all forms of broadcasting of the 2017 National Election in East Sepik, the home of Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare.
East Sepik Director Provincial Radio, Anna Klawe, said her station went off air the following Thursday after continuous power blackouts in Wewak town, causing damage to its Satellite Transmission Link.
“I am doing everything I can by communicating through email with the Five-Mile headquarters in Port Moresby. I was advised that there was no spare STL in stock or spare STL available. Hopefully the management will come to our rescue with a new STL soon,” she said.
A disappointed candidate described the debacle as “a complete shame as NBC has been boasting as the official broadcaster of the 2017 National Election”.
“The management must act promptly,” he said. He had gone there to pay for airtime for a political talk on the radio only to find out that Radio East Sepik was off air.
Political talks are going for K500 per 10 minutes and K200 for five minutes respectively, while jingles and other services are available at negotiated prices.