Pacific

Samoa to merge television and radio stations

16:25 pm on 27 June 2003

The Samoa government has announced plans to merge its television station, Televise Samoa, with its radio station, 2AP.

The prime minister, Tuilaepa Sailele, says the government has wanted to sell Televise Samoa for a long time but no one with enough money has declared an interest.

The broadcasting minister, Tuala Ainiu Iusitini, says the merger may lead to job losses but those who are no longer needed can get other work within government.

Tuala says if the new corporation goes broke then the board will be sacked because he says the aim for the merger is to make the broadcaster profitable.

2AP has lost listeners to new FM stations which were created after the government deregulated the industry.