President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah today met with the Board of Directors of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) at State House.
The visit formed part of ongoing engagements between the national public broadcaster and the Presidency and other public entities, aimed at strengthening cooperation and ensuring alignment on matters relating to the operations and strategic direction of the NBC.
During the meeting, the NBC Board briefed the President on the current state of the Corporation, including its operational activities, strategic priorities, and initiatives aimed at strengthening public broadcasting services across Namibia.
The engagement also provided an opportunity to update the president on NBC's efforts to enhance content delivery, expand access to information, and reinforce the role of the national broadcaster in informing, educating and entertaining the Namibian public.
Part of the deliberations placed emphasis on the critical role that the NBC must continue to play in nation-building, particularly in supporting efforts to inform and educate the public on government programmes and national development initiatives.
The discussions highlighted the importance of the NBC in helping the government with the dissemination of information on its development agenda, ensuring that citizens across the country remain informed and engaged in the nation's progress.
The Chairman of the NBC Board, Lazarus Jacobs, and the Director General of the NBC, Stanley Similo, elaborated on the progress made within the corporation as well as a number of new programmes and initiatives that have been introduced to strengthen the broadcaster's public service mandate.
Among the key areas highlighted was the corporation's growing focus on youth development, which remains central to the NBC's programming and institutional initiatives aimed at empowering young Namibians and supporting the country's creative and media industries.
The Board further informed the President about technological advancements currently being undertaken at the NBC, including initiatives aimed at modernising broadcasting infrastructure, expanding digital broadcasting capabilities, and improving the reach and quality of services to audiences across Namibia.
These developments form part of the corporation's broader efforts to position the NBC as a modern, innovative, and digitally enabled public broadcaster.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed satisfaction with the programmes produced by the national broadcaster and noted that she diligently watches NBC programmes and listens to the radio, commending the corporation for its continued efforts to serve the Namibian public through informative and relevant content.
The president also cited her appreciation for the Mukorob Project, an initiative that is helping to onboard emerging filmmakers while contributing to the growth and development of Namibia's creative and film industry.
Furthermore, the President emphasised the continued importance of radio broadcasting as a powerful and accessible medium for communication, particularly in reaching communities across the country. She highlighted the vital role radio continues to play in ensuring that information reaches citizens in both urban and rural areas.
Also present at the meeting was the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus. Other officials from the Presidency included the Special Advisor to the President, the Executive Director in the Presidency, and the Spokesperson of the Presidency.
The NBC reaffirmed its commitment to its public service mandate and to continuing to serve the nation through credible, inclusive, and accessible broadcasting.