1 Sep 2004

Cook Islands to get Government run radio

1:37 pm on 1 September 2004

The Cook Islands has approved a new publicly funded radio station.

The deputy chair of the Cook Island Broadcasting Corporation has confirmed reports that the cabinet has approved the project.

Flo Syme Buchanan says a grant of thirty-three thousand US dollars is funding the start of the operation, which has been in the pipeline for a month.

At present, both Cook Islands radio and television are privately owned by the Pitt Media group.

Ms Syme Buchanan says the new station will provide a service which the market wouldn't if left to itself:

"What we will be doing, the public broadcaster will be doing, that's not currently provided by either commercial station. It'll provide educational programmes that'll be geared to the outer islands, cultural programmes; a whole diverse range of programmes - eventually - once you know, stage three is completed, to the Cook Islands people."

Flo Syme Buchanan says the station will provide a warning service to the outer islands during the cyclone season.