Issued by: Independent Broadcasting Authority
INDEPENDENT BROADCASTING AUTHORITY PRESS STATEMENT 4 APRIL 1996
At a Hearing held on the 20 March 1996 at its Head Office in Rosebank, the Broadcasting Monitoring and Complaints Committee (BMCC) of the Independent Broadcasting Authority ruled that insufficient evidence of Radio Smart FM's transmitter having been struck by lightening precluded a definite finding on the matter.
The Monitoring and Complaints Department of the IBA had alleged that Radio Smart FM had contravened Section 5 and 9 of the licence conditions. On the first occasion that the station's meter was read it showed the power output of the transmitter was 200 watts, and on the second occasion it was 240 watts. Radio Smart FM is limited to a 10 wattage output.
During the course of the hearing, the committee was advised by an electronics company that the meter had probably been struck by lightening and that was the cause of it being defective. The Committee found that this aspect had not been investigated.
Advocate Jules Browde SC, Chairperson of the BMCC, said "due to the fact that the only evidence of excess power was that of meter readings and the increase in Radio Smart FM's coverage area, and the lack of evidence regarding the possible effects of lightning, the Committee could not make a recommendation to the Council of the IBA in regard to this complaint".
Issued by: Communications Department, IBA (011) 447 6180