MACRA receives 64 TV licence applications

MACRA's director general Charles Nsaliwa confirmed this saying more than half of the applicants have already submitted their bid proposals.

Nsaliwa, however, said the number of national TV licenses to be issued would depend on how many would be eligible for the licence.

He said MACRA would be issuing the licences very soon. "It's pretty soon. The more we delay the issuance the more we delay access of broadcast services to those in need."

Those that applied the first time MACRA advertised in the local media for those that had interest and resources to apply for TV licences fell short of satisfying what is needed.

MACRA PR officer Zadziko Mankhambo said the bids lacked technical and financial proposals and that most entities failed to comply with the requirements in the bid documents.

Malawi has currently one public television channel, Malawi Television (TVM), the only national broadcaster. There are also three community religious stations Luntha TV owned by the Catholics beaming around a small town of Balaka, and two Blantyre based stations, All for Jesus (AFJ TV), owned by Pastor Felix Zalimba and Calvary TV owned by Calvary church.