Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation

Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)

Type	Broadcast television, broadcast radio, internet website and streaming media
Country	Mauritius
Availability	Nationwide
Founded	8 June 1964 by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
Headquarters	Moka, Moka District
Broadcast area	Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agaléga Worldwide (online with restricted programming)
Owner	Government of Mauritius
Key people	Director General Vijay Kumar Parmessur
Former names	Mauritius Broadcasting Service
Official website	mbcradio.tv

The Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) is the national public broadcaster of the Republic of Mauritius, that is the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues and Agaléga. The headquarters of the MBC is found at Réduit, Moka, it also operate a station in Rodrigues. The MBC programmes are broadcast in 12 languages, notably French, Creole, English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telegu, Marathi, Gujrati, Mandarin/Cantonese and Hakka, it provides 17 television channels in Mauritius, 4 in Rodrigues and 2 in Agaléga and 7 radio channels.^[1]

Overview

The MBC operate under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Office, it is established as a body corporate under Act No. 7 of 1964. According to the provisions of the Act, its main objectives amongst others is to provide independent and impartial broadcasting services of information, education, culture and entertainment in different languages taught or spoken in the country and ensure that the broadcasting services cater for the aspirations, needs and tastes of the population in the matters of information, education, culture and entertainment.^[2] The MBC is a member of the Association des Radios et Télévisions de l’Océan Indien (ARTOI), Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, the associate member at the European Broadcasting Union, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the South African Broadcasting Association and of the Conseil International des Radios-Télévisions d’Expression Française.

History

It was established as a body corporate on 8 June 1964 under the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation Ordinance no. 7 (1964). Prior to that date it operated as a Government Service under the name of Mauritius Broadcasting Service.

The original ordinance establishing the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation was amended and consolidated by Acts of Parliament: Act no. 65 of 1970, Act no. 22 of 1982 and Act no. 65 of 1985. These amendments were necessary to accommodate interalia changes at both technological and social levels as well as to satisfy the aspirations of all segments of the Mauritian nation.

TV broadcasts started on a pilot basis in 1964 with the installation of three repeater stations at Fort George, Mount Thérése and Jurançon. On 8 February 1965, television was officially launched with a daily evening transmission of about three hours. The first live local program was broadcast on the occasion of the visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra in 1968.

The phasing out process of black and white television started in 1973 and indeed the OCAMM Conference which was held at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute in the same year was broadcast live in colour (SECAM system). By 1978 the MBC was fully equipped for the broadcast of colour programs. The MBC started it operation in Rodrigues on 7 November 1987. A second channel was launched on 30 July 1990, the MBC 2. The MBC 3 became operational in March 1996.

In 2005, the MBC was the first public television broadcaster in Africa to launched Digital Terrestrial Television channels. In 2007, the MBC also extent its digitalized service to the islands of Rodrigues and Agaléga.^[3] In 2011, the MBC move from its former headquarter in Forest Side, Curepipe to Moka. The Bhojpuri Channel and Senn Kreol was launched in January 2013.

See also

• Media of Mauritius OCAMM CONFERENCE 1973 VENUE WAS THEATRE DE PORT LOUIS

References

1. "BROADCASTING SERVICES IN MAURITIUS". Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
2. "MAURITIUS BROADCASTING CORPORATION" (PDF). Government of Mauritius. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
3. "Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Mauritius - History". newmediaforms. Retrieved 13 February 2013.