18 Feb 2003

Fiji TV offers deal to Commission over extension of licence

5:56 pm on 18 February 2003

The chief executive of Fiji TV, Ken Clark, says the company is offering to extend coverage to the rest of the country if its licence is renewed for another ten years.

The Commerce Commission is currently asking for submissions on whether Fiji TV, the only commercial station in the country, should receive the extension to its monopoly.

Mr Clark says it's not a monopoly because Christian and community stations and satellite services do exist.

And, he says he's offered a deal to the Commerce Commission if Fiji TV's licence is extended.

"There is still 15 percent of the people who don't have television and we think that should change. We have offered to use company money to go and do that rather than the originally contemplated return to Government to look for tax payer funding that would take the signal to the very hard to reach places."

Mr Clark says a decision is expected by the end of March.