BUJUMBURA May 22nd (ABP) – The Chairperson of the National Media Council (CNC), Vestine Nahimana hosted, on Wednesday May 17, 2023, in Bujumbura, a press briefing for the media to announce the decisions taken by the CNC, which relate to the authorization for the various community radios to operate and the reopening of Radio Ntumbero FM.
Among the decisions taken by the CNC, Mrs. Nahimana pointed to the reopening of Radio Ntumbero FM located in Ngozi which had been suspended in 2017 for six months and in 2022 because it had not been able to meet the expectations of the CNC. She therefore explained that after its support, the CNC took the decision to reopen it while hoping that it will respect the requirements of the said Council.
According to Mrs. Nahimana, the CNC plans to withdraw 62 songs in addition to the 31 songs already suspended for non-respect of Burundian culture. On that occasion, the CNC Chair promised that a training workshop will be organized for song producers to discuss how they produce their works.
Talking about the press card, she said that some errors recorded during the last production are being corrected. Regarding the request for a press card by retired journalists, volunteers, freelancers, interns, she stressed that those people should have a different press card to those of journalists themselves. She also announced that there will be an “honorary” press card for the category of journalists who produce appreciable works.
Mrs. Nahimana took the opportunity to announce the operation authorization for four community media such as Agaseke FM based in Ruyigi, Terimbere FM based in GITEGA, Shima FM of Rumonge and Inamujandi FM of Cibitoke. In addition, she specified that Radio “Umuziki FM” has been definitively suspended on the national territory because it does not respect the requirements of the CNC.
It is worthy to note that all those decisions were taken at the closing of an ordinary two-day plenary assembly, held from May 16 to 17, 2023.