LESOTHO: People�s Choice FM shut down

17 January 2008

Communications Minister Mothetjoa Metsing ordered the closure of the People�s Choice (PC FM) radio station. Metsing accused the radio of promoting disorder in the country

PC FM told the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Lesotho that some parts of the radio�s transmitters are out of order and that only technicians from the communications ministry are permitted to fix it. This is according to a standing contractual agreement between PC FM and the Lesotho Broadcasting Services. Notwithstanding this, the contract also states that such maintenance should occur within 24 hours of the reported incident.

MISA Lesotho has been reliably informed that technicians were ordered not to fix the problem. �Our boss said no one should work on the PC transmitter problem,� a PC FM manager was told. Minister Metsing has since claimed that that he was not aware of the technical difficulties that have lead to the shutting down of PC FM.

BACKGROUND

The shutdown comes at a time when opposition leaders have called for a national strike aimed at forcing the government to level the ground for talks regarding the allocation of seats in the national assembly.

Ends

Source: Misa