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Massive Rebranding Rocks SLBC But… By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) came to existent through an Act of Parliament in 2009 but since the Act came into law on the 28th January, 2010 according to the Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette Vol. CXLI, No. 8 the SLBC has been creeping since. This has made the Cooperation looks like any one man business that one can crack his brain to source money to run it business. The SLBC of recently has been face with serious renovation and rebranding in all sectors, ranging from structure to studios and administration. This rebranding according to the Director of Media and Public Affairs Ransford Kabia is to demonstrate Management commitment to transform the Cooperation just like any international broadcaster. He said currently the SLBC have a proper filing system and have concluded two successful audits in 2011 and 2012 and they are now working on their 2013 report. The reception desk, board room, the studios both radio and television among other areas have been face lifted, making it more conducive for workers and visitors. Above all the Director of Media and Public Affairs staff salaries are very much attractive. But this, the Director of Media and Public Affairs Ransford Kabia said was done through the litter adverts they get. He stressed that SLBC did not have seed money to run the Cooperation as the case may be. He said the United Nations promise to take care but just pullout after one year. The disclosed that SLBC should have been able to run on its own without external support if companies are fully committed to advertise and pay for standard adverts as in the case in Nigeria among other countries. He was quick to debunk the alleged blame they cast on them based on the Auditor General Report of 2010. He said the 2010 report was not under the leadership of the current Management as the current management took over office on October 2010 and get full access to finance in January 2011. Apart of their rebranding strips, the SLBC was commended by the Iranian technician that installed the latest digital broadcasting system they are using for up keeping the system up to this time. According to the Iranian such system is very expensive to up keep and can damage in less than a year. Asked about the Presidential Grant, Mr. Kabia said the grant was not steady and he went on to say that the reason they are invoking Part V (1) of the Act which state about financial provisions: “(1) the activities of the Corporation shall be financed by a fund consisting of - moneys appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the Corporation;” He disclosed that about 90% of the money they are generating is used for fueling the generators at Lester pick in a twenty four hours bases. “We are not profit making, we send people for coverage, and we have to buy fuel for the vehicles. People are not willing to pay higher cost for adverts. We have to stay within customers’ affordability.” He said the consumer base is very small. The SLBC according to Part 111- 10 (1) of the Act was established to provide information, education, entertainment and reflect all shades of opinion throughout Sierra Leone. According to Head of Television Samuel Valcarcel, this is what actually the Current administration is doing. He said SLBC has been doing well and what it needs now is more money to capacitate it programs. He went on to say that if there are not too many programs at the SLBC because SLBC is doing in house programs while the international broadcasters are sourcing their programs through external production. He said the appropriate capacity is what the SLBC lacks. “What I am sure the institution needs now is more funding to increase staff and equipment’s.” He however said SLBC has been standing to the challenges citing the 2012 general elections, the Presidential inauguration and the late President Kabbah’s funeral. He disclosed that every three months SLBC will come up with a new program and that soon they will come with two new programs, ‘Inspector Sure and Granma House’ a TV sup-opera.