FAQ

Frequently asked Questions

The following link outlines the requirements for the acquisition of a broadcast licence: http://gnba.gov.gy/licensing/
Please see table below for application processing fees for each broadcasting licence:
  TELEVISION RADIO CABLE
Application processing fee-     G$25,000     G$50,000   G$25,000
Importantly: Processing fees are non-refundable
  G$25,000 G$50,000 G$25,000 Importantly: Processing fees are non-refundable

TABLE OF FEES, GNBA
The broadcasting service licence shall be issued on the payment of the base fee for each zone for which the licence is granted. See table of fees below:

 

TELEVISION

RADIO

CABLE

Annual or renewal fee for licence

Same as
the base fee for each zone
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

Same as
the base fee for each zone
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

Same as
the base fee for each zone
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

Application processing fee;
application to amend/vary licence

 

G$25,000

 

G$50,000

 

G$25,000

 

 


Z
ONE


TELEVISION


R
ADIO

 

CABLE

Primary
Zone
(same fee if granted as an additional zone)

G$1,200,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

G$2,500,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

G$1,200,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

Each Secondary
Zone
(same fee if granted as an additional zone)

G$600,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year 
whichever is greater

G$1,250,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year 
whichever is greater

G$600,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

Each Tertiary
Zone
(same fee if granted as an additional zone)

G$300,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

G$625,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

G$300,000 (base fee)
Or
3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year
whichever is greater

 

Community
Broadcasting Service

 

G$150,000

 

G$150,000

 

 The broadcasting service licence shall be issued on the payment of the base fee for each zone for which the licence is granted.  Where a broadcasting service licence is issued for the first time after 1st day of January of any financial year the licence fee shall be prorated from the date of issue to the 31st day of December.  The annual fee or renewal fee for the broadcasting service licence shall be paid at the start of each financial year starting from the 1st day of January to the 31st day of December within the first two weeks of that year.  If a licensee is operating in multiple zones, his annual or renewal fee shall be 3.5 percent of his gross revenue or the sum of the base fees of each of the zones in which he is operating or whichever is the greater.
Please see table below for base fee for each broadcasting zone:
ZONE TELEVISION RADIO   CABLE
Primary Zone (same fee if granted as an additional zone) G$1,200,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater G$2,500,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater G$1,200,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater
Each Secondary Zone (same fee if granted as an additional zone) G$600,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater G$1,250,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater G$600,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater
Each Tertiary Zone (same fee if granted as an additional zone) G$300,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater G$625,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater G$300,000 (base fee) Or 3.5% of gross revenue of the preceding year whichever is greater
Community Broadcasting Service     G$150,000   G$150,000
 
According to the Broadcast Amendment Act 2017, ‘If a licensee is operating in multiple zones, his annual or renewal fee shall be 3.5 percent of his gross revenue or the sum of the base fees of each of the zones in which he is operating or whichever is the greater’.
The Authority accepts Manager’s Cheques, Cross Cheques or Cheques that are stamped- Accounts payee.
According to the Broadcast Amendment Act 2017, ‘where a broadcasting service licence is issued for the first time after 1st day of January of any financial year the licence fee shall be prorated from the date of issue to the 31st day of December’.
According to Section 40 (4) of the Broadcasting Act of 2011, ‘in a case of suspension or cancellation where the licence subsist for only part of a year, the Authority may grant a proportionate rebate or a refund of any licence fee paid under this section’.
According to the Broadcast Amendment Act 2017, a person who continues to carry on broadcasting service after the expiry of time specified without applying for a licence or where he/she  has applied for a licence within the time specified but his/her  application for a licence has been rejected, commits an offence and :- (a)  is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one million dollars and imprisonment for one year; and (b) all machinery and equipment used, or which can be used, for broadcasting and owned by or in the possession of, the person concerned is liable to be forfeited; but property not owned by such person shall not be forfeited unless the court is satisfied that the owner of the property knew or ought to have, with reasonable diligence, known that the person convicted had no licence to carry on broadcasting service.
BROADCASTING ZONES PRIMARY ZONE
  1. The primary zone comprises the Municipality of Georgetown, Region 3 up to the Essequibo River, all of Region 4 and Region 5 east of Region 4 to the Abary River.
  SECONDARY ZONES
  1.    There are four secondary zones –
  • Secondary zone 1: all of Region 1, all of Region 2 and the Essequibo Islands being part of Region 3;
  • Secondary zone 2: all of Bartica;
  • Secondary zone 3: all of Region 6 including New Amsterdam and part of Region 5 west of New Amsterdam to the Abary River;
  • Secondary zone 4: all of Region 10 including Linden and that section of the Berbice River which falls within Region 10.
TERTIARY ZONES
  1.     There are three tertiary zones –
  • Tertiary zone 1: all of Region 9 including Lethem;
  • Tertiary zone 2: all of Region 8 including Mahdia;
Tertiary zone 3: Region 7 not including Bartica.
According to the Broadcast Amendment Act 2017, every broadcasting agency shall broadcast public service programmes in the following manner: (a)   For a total of up to sixty minutes per day; (b)   Between 6:00 hrs. and 22:00 hrs; and (c)   Free of cost.