Football lovers unhapy with NBC on football

SOME members of the Namibian public are disappointment that the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), was not giving live coverage of the Euro 2004 soccer championship currently underway in Portugal.

Members of the public, through a phone-in program on the NBC Radio, aired their unhappiness that the games are only shown at 22h00. One caller said he paid his television license and should get value for his money instead of the getting programmes such as the ‘Bold and the Beautiful’, ‘that has no meaning at all’.Another caller could not understand why the NBC broadcasts the Euro 2004 matches at that hour, while they (NBC) know it is cold during the said time.” This football is good for development and youngsters could learn from it but now it is being broadcasted very late,” uttered another dissapointed caller.Another soccer lover said the national broadcasters marketing team was supposed to solicit funds from the corporate world to bring the games live to the people, but it seems that they did not.In response to this, NBC Senior Public Relations Officer (PRO) Katrina Sikeni told Nampa Tuesday that the NBC has a corporation agreement with ONE Africa TV, a free television channel broadcasting in Namibia.The agreement states that NBC through ONE Africa TV would only be able to broadcast the 10 soccer games in Portugal after 22h00 on the same day as the games take place.She said the agreement is for the duration of the tournament that comes to a close with the final on July 4.One caller said he paid his television license and should get value for his money instead of the getting programmes such as the ‘Bold and the Beautiful’, ‘that has no meaning at all’.Another caller could not understand why the NBC broadcasts the Euro 2004 matches at that hour, while they (NBC) know it is cold during the said time.” This football is good for development and youngsters could learn from it but now it is being broadcasted very late,” uttered another dissapointed caller.Another soccer lover said the national broadcasters marketing team was supposed to solicit funds from the corporate world to bring the games live to the people, but it seems that they did not.In response to this, NBC Senior Public Relations Officer (PRO) Katrina Sikeni told Nampa Tuesday that the NBC has a corporation agreement with ONE Africa TV, a free television channel broadcasting in Namibia.The agreement states that NBC through ONE Africa TV would only be able to broadcast the 10 soccer games in Portugal after 22h00 on the same day as the games take place.She said the agreement is for the duration of the tournament that comes to a close with the final on July 4.