Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation
The Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) is the national public broadcaster of the Republic of Seychelles.
SBC operates a television network and an AM radio station at 1368 kHz (219 metres) on medium wave. These broadcast programmes in the three national languages: English, French and Seychellois Creole. SBC also operates Paradise FM, a 24-hours Music radio station.
History
Public broadcasting in Seychelles dates from 1945 with a daily one-hour broadcast run by the Department of Education, using the facilities of the Cable & Wireless telecommunications company. On July 10, 1965, Radio Seychelles proper first transmissions came on the air from a studio at Union Vale.
On January 1, 1983, the public television service was launched with Radio Television Seychelles (RTS), broadcasting from Hermitage every Friday to Sunday. In 1989, the RTS television service began broadcasting seven evenings a week. With the installation of a new satellite facility at the TV station at Hermitage two years later, viewers were able to watch CNN newscasts relayed by RTS.
On May 1, 1992, RTS (a government station run by the Ministry of Information) became the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), a public broadcasting corporation. Paradise FM, the FM radio service of the SBC, was launched on May 30, 1997 to complement the AM radio service.
Radio stations
The AM channel, which is for a general domestic audience, offers largely spoken word programming. It aims is to provide a community service and there is a big demand for the reading of private announcements, notices and messages. It broadcasts in mono on 219 metres, 1368 kHz. It broadcast all kinds of programmes in the three national languages (Creole, English and French): music, news, documentaries, panel games, drama and children’s programmes. There are both local and international productions. 40% of the programmes aired are local and 60% are foreign productions. The main news bulletins in Creole consist of 50% local news, 33% international news and 17% sports news. SBC relays two foreign radio stations on the country, Radio France Internationale and the BBC World Service.
Paradise FM
Paradise FM broadcasts 24 hours a day. It is a predominantly music service which also offers sports, advertisements and talk shows.
Television
SBC TV opens at 6 am with CNN and BBC World News newscasts and closes at 8.30 am. It re-opens at 12.00 noon with BBC World News newscast and French-language programming from TF1, France Ô, and Canal France International, followed by SBC programmes at 4.45 pm until late in the evening. During the weekends and on public and school holidays it remains open throughout the day. The programmes which are broadcast are: news, serials, documentaries, movies, sports, comedies and children’s programmes. 20% of programmes transmitted are local production and 80% are foreign programmes. Programmes including the news bulletins are broadcast in the three national languages - Creole, English and French.