DR Grace Turner, CEO of the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ), says it will cost $300 million annually to run the company when it becomes fully operational.

Turner, who was addressing Monday night’s weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston, said that as a non-commercial entity, the PBCJ would need sustained financial support and would be seeking funding from the government as well as from other sources, including sponsorships, grants and donations.

In the meantime, Turner said it was undecided whether or not the PBCJ, which will operate under the name PB JTV for the time being, will begin transmission on October 16 as reported in yesterday’s Observer. The start-up date, she said, would be announced when all is ready for transmission to begin.

A test transmission carried out last month, she said, was successful. “The PBCJ is now here to satisfy this need through PB JTV, as we seek to help to fill this void and answer this call through programmes that are enlightening, uplifting and fulfilling,” said Turner.

In the meantime, Turner said the PBCJ would be hosting a competition to come up with a suitable name under which it would operate.

The PBCJ, Turner told Rotarians, “epitomises and encapsulates the dreams of the nation builders of Jamaica and is a media outlet that not only produces and airs programmes for the people, but showcases programmes produced by Jamaicans.

“It is of concern that our culture is not sufficiently being displayed nor preserved. Neither is there sufficient locally produced content of high quality, enough family-oriented programmes, nor children’s programmes.”

The PBCJ is mandated, under the PBCJ Act of 1997, to air programmes that educate and train the masses, disseminate news and information, protect the environment, develop literary and artistic expressions, develop culture, human resources and sports and respect for fundamental rights and freedom.

“With this mandate, I therefore call on Jamaica in general and individuals and organisations who are committed to nation-building and helping to restore those positive values and attitudes, that we once treasured and practised routinely, to play your part in enabling the PBCJ to make the difference in programme offering,” she said.

“So that when we switch on our (TV) sets, we will feel rich in spirit and positive looking at our own way of life, learning and sharing a better way of living,” she added.

According to Turner, the PBJ TV will seek to broadcast family-oriented programmes, but also give Jamaicans a taste of the past, using the more than 40,000 tapes it inherited from the now defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC).

Additionally, she said there would also be programmes about occupational and training options, celebration of accomplishments, various art forms and debate. Similarly, the line-up will also include how to programmes aimed at fostering enlightenment,” she said.

“We call on civic-minded Jamaicans to join hands with us to boost the production and airing of local programmes such as features, documentary and films as this needs the sustained financial contribution of those who are committed to entertainment and information with a difference,” Turner said.

“This is also a call to strengthen our local film production industry that sits starved of financial support and or concession so that we will be able to showcase our own work locally and abroad.”

davidsont@jamaicaobserver.com