TBC not commenting on Wednesday's stoppage of election campaign programs [1]
Friday, April 4, 2008 - 17:45. Updated on Friday, July 24, 2015 - 13:31.
The Tonga Broadcasting Commission TBC stopped broadcasting all campaigning programs of candidates for the April General Election on the evening of Wednesday April 2, according to one of the candidates.
However, it is understood that on Thursday evening the election campaigns were back on the air.
'Inoke Hu'akau, one of the Tongatapu candidates said a stoppage was ordered on all of the candidates' campaigning programs that were scheduled to be aired on Wednesday evening and there was no clear explanation from TBC for the Wednesday stoppage, but he was informed by an 'insider' that "it was a board decision". The programs time slots had been booked in advance.
When we contacted 'Elenoa 'Amanaki, the General Manager of TBC about the reason for Wednesday's stoppage, she simply said "no comment".
Katalina Tohi, the manager of the Television Tonga also did not want to comment. "If 'Elenoa can't comment then it is a no comment situation," she said.
The operation of the TBC has been hampered by the Board, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele during the past few months. Last year there was a decision for the TBC to stop broadcasting any 'political programs', excepting, of course, government programs, a block that remained in place for several months.
Then this year the allowing of candidates for the election to air their campaigns on Radio and TV Tonga was seen as a positive move to allow more outside programs to be broadcast by TBC.