The Tonga Broadcasting Commission probably did not intend to become a self-confessed "Boardcasting Commission" this morning in a press statement announcing that the Board is imposing new controls on the public broadcasting of political content.

But its mis-spelling of "Broadcasting" was prophetic because "board" casting is exactly what the Tongan public are now likely to get from their public broadcasting service when it comes to political content.

Today's press release states that: "No TBC employee is to host any election programmes."

Instead, the board and management intend to process programmes.

Under the new policy directive from the TBC Board, the TBC will no longer air the election campaigns of candidates for the April 24 General Election in programmes that are hosted by TBC employees.

Candidates who have already recorded programmes hosted by TBC personalities will not be allowed to show them, but they "may re-record their programmes at the board's expense", the press release states.

The aim of the directive is that the board will then make sure that their existing policies regarding political broadcasting are, "vigilantly complied with".

But how this will be achieved without the professional experience and news sense of their own TBC staff to keep political interviews on track, remains to be seen.

In regreting "the inconvenience" the Board and Management appear to state they will process the programmes themselves "as soon as is possible".

The Tonga Broadcasting Commission, owned by government, is subsidised heavily by taxpayers. Its board is headed by Tonga's Prime Minister.

Restrictive public broadcasting policies have been under fire for some time with ongoing claims of interference by the board in the broadcasting of political reports coming last year from a senior political broadcaster George Lavaka whose parliamentary reports were stopped and he was later axed, and from numerous frustrated members of parliament, and then last Wednesday from political candidate 'Inoke Huakau whose pre-booked programme was not allowed to air.

Processing

The Tonga Broadcasting Commission's general manager 'Elenoa Amanaki released the following press statement this morning:

"As per policy, political programmes have always been broadcasted by the Tonga Boardcasting Commission. This policy remains unchanged.

"Also as per policy all broadcasts must be accurate, balanced, legal, must accord the right of reply. This policy also remains unchanged.

"Due to a variety of complaints regarding the networks implementation of these policies, the TBC board has made the following decisions:

1. No TBC employee is to host any election programmes;

2 The journalistic and legal requirements of accuracy, balance, and with the right of reply must be vigilantly complied with;

3. In view of the new policy, candidates whose programmes have been hosted by TBC employees may re-record their programmes at the Board's expense

"The Board and Management regret any inconvenience caused, but we will do our best to process and broadcast your programmes as soon as possible," 'Elenoa stated.