The Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) is expected to move into continuous broadcasting shortly after completing its fourth programme special next month, chairman of the corporation’s programming committee, Gladstone Wilson announced.

At the same time, cable operators have pledged to ensure that the much anticipated public broadcasting service is carried islandwide.

Wilson’s announcement was made at a recent Kingston retreat of the PBCJ, which was attended by media representatives and related organisations, including the Broadcasting Commission; the Creative Production and Training Centre; Carimac; the Jamaica Information Service; Independent Video Producers; FLOW and the Jamaica Association of Cable Operators.

The fourth programme special, Wilson said, would run from August 1 – 6, 2007, as part of PBCJ’s further preparation for regular transmission.

“This test transmission will see the unveiling of a whole raft of local programming for the ‘Emancipendence’ (Emancipation and Independence) celebrations,” said Wilson.

The programmes were drawn from the archives of the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC), the state-owned radio and television complex which was sold to the RJR Group, as well as from a core of dedicated producers and technical personnel, he disclosed.

Colin Innis, president of Jamaica Association of Cable Operators (JACO) and FLOW’s representative, Nigel Facey both gave their organisation’s commitment to carry PBCJ’s channel throughout the island.

Wilson added that the PBCJ was in the final stages of identifying a CEO and developing its operational rules to guide the organisation. The programme capacity was being built and the organisation had chosen to use wireless technology to carry the signals continuously, using external partners to do so.

“Our mandate is to reach persons anywhere in Jamaica. We hope to undertake consultations with persons in communities in different parts of the islands to see if our programmes meet the approval of our intended audience,” he said.

And outgoing PBCJ chairman, Rev Neville Callam disclosed that the corporation would be funded by a mix of public and private financial support.

Callam said that over time the Corporation would be expected to raise its own funds through: sponsorship by private organisations, corporations and non-governmental organisations; income-generating activities; direct public contributions and a percentage of licence fees paid by subscriber television providers.

The PBCJ chairman insisted that the purpose of PBCJ in Jamaica was not to gather and disseminate government policy and programmes, as “that is the role of the Jamaica Information Service “.

The Corporation would, instead, provide a model of broadcasting which would be totally dedicated to the promotion of Jamaica’s welfare.

Callam also reported that there was now a range of products ready for use on the television broadcast channel and that the board had received a management start-up and business plan for National Public Radio in Jamaica.