Malawi Broadcasting Corporation

Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) was established in 1964 under the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation Act and reconstituted under the Communications Act of 1998. Its mandate is to inform, educate and entertain the general public through objective and professional programming.

In pursuit of its mandate, MBC undertook a number of reforms as part of the Public Sector Reforms Programme that was launched by His Excellency President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika in February 2015. Malawi Broadcasting Corporation is undertaking the following reforms:

Modernisation and Digitisation of Television and Radio Production Facilities
This reform was undertaken to improve MBCs efficiency and effectiveness in programme production and it has resulted in: improved signal quality from analogue based to digital play out system; reduced operational costs from analogue tapes which are expensive with limited usage to SD based card system which are not only cheap but can be reused a number of times.

Moreover, this reform was undertaken in compliance with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) resolution which requested member states to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting by June 2015.

Creation of One Newsroom for Television and Radio Services
This reform was adopted by MBC in order to establish one newsroom that will cater for all the MBC Television and Radio studios in the three regions in the country.

Through the use of Tele-conferencing and VPN link, MBC studios in the three regions can now hold real time joint editorial meetings. In undertaking the reform, MBC has refurbished Kwacha Newsroom, created office space, developed multi-skilled newsroom staff and relocated staff

This reform has resulted in effective and efficient management of the newsroom with one Controller for both TV and Radio. Standardized, improved and high quality news bulletins, reduced incidents of staff shortages on shifts due to flexibility and multi-skilling and increased staff morale have also been experienced as a result of the reform.

Financial and Operational Reforms
MBC has also undertaken a number of Financial and Operational Reforms that have seen the broadcaster managing to raise adequate financial resources to cater for its development and recurrent activities.

Last year, the Public Broadcaster also bought a total of twelve (12) cameras costing approximately one hundred and twenty (120) million Kwacha using its own funds.

Looking at the reforms initiated by Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and progress registered, the Public Broadcaster is doing a commendable job in undertaking reforms under the Public Sector Reforms Programme that is championed by His Excellency President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika

Feedback: opcreforms@gmail.com