Namibian Broadcasting Corporation
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| 220px | |
| Type | Public Broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Branding | NBC |
| Country |  Namibia |
| Availability | Namibia South Africa |
| Founded | May 1979 |
| Owner | Government of Namibia |
|
Former names
|
South West African Broadcasting Corporation |
|
Television
|
NBC |
|
Radio
|
Language Services:
|
|
Official website
|
Namibian Broadcasting Corporation |
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster of Namibia. It was established in 1990, replacing the South West African Broadcasting Corporation.
History
In November 1969, South Africa's state broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) began FM radio services in Namibia, then South African-administered South West Africa, including Radio Ovambo, broadcasting in the Kwanyama and Ndonga languages, and also Radio Herero and Radio Damara Nama. The introduction of Radio Kavango along the northeastern border with Angola followed in February 1976 in the Kwangali, Mbukushu and Gciriku languages. However, in May 1979 the SABC relinquished control of these services, when the South West African Broadcasting Corporation (SWABC), known in Afrikaans as Suidwes-Afrikaanse Uitsaaikorporasie (SWAUK), came into being. On 10 October 1980, two new 100 kW shortwave transmitters were inaugurated near Windhoek and used for relaying radio services.
The SWABC's television service was introduced in 1981, comprising a mix of SABC programming (pre-recorded on cassettes) and local programming in English, Afrikaans and German. Following the establishment of the NBC in 1990, the television channel began broadcasting entirely in English. In June 2009, NBC television established a weekly German news magazine produced by the radio department's NBC German Service, which was given another programme slot due to its immediate success within the German-speaking community. An Afrikaans television news programme is currently broadcast, along with television news bulletins in all local languages. A number of Deutsche Welle programmes also are relayed by NBC on radio and television.[1]
Services
Radio
The NBC operates one 24-hour radio station in English (NBC National Radio) and nine so-called language-services that broadcast between 10 and 15 hours per day in Afrikaans, Damara and Nama, German, Oshiwambo (Ovambo and Kwanyama), Otjiherero, Rukavango, Setswana, Silozi and !Ha.[2]
The majority of radio stations are broadcast from radio studios in Pettenkoffer Street, Windhoek, although many Oshiwambo programmes emanate from the studios in Oshakati, the Rukavango service is broadcast from the studios in Rundu, and the SiLozi service is broadcast from the studios in Katima Mulilo.
Television
The NBC currently operates three television channels (NBC 1, 2 and 3, respectively), primarily in English, but with some programming in German and indigenous languages. NBC 1 is also available on the DStv satellite television platform. NBC 2 and 3, however, can only be accessed by the aerial television network through proprietary decoders currently being sold throughout Namibia.[3] There was some discussion regarding the cost of these digital decoders.[4]
It had a monopoly on free-to-air television in Namibia until 2008, when the competitor One Africa Television, a new privately owned television station was launched.
External links
- Namibian Broadcasting Corporation Official website
- History of the South West African Broadcasting Corporation (SWABC)
- "Letters From Robin Tyson", from the former SWABC/NBC manager Robin Tyson
- Clip of SWABC news in Afrikaans, 1987
References
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Rothe, Andreas (2010): Media System and News Selection in Namibia, p.41-53
- ↑ http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/broadcast/issue-no166/investment/namibia-nbc-goes-dig/bc
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
