Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation

The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is the national radio and television broadcaster in Sierra Leone. It is owned by the government of Sierra Leone and comes under the supervision of the Sierra Leone Ministry of Information and Communications. It is theoretically regulated by the Independent Media Commission (IMC). The SLBC broadcasts the national television and regional radio service from its headquarters in New England, Freetown. Regional stations provide FM radio services in Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, Makeni, Magburaka and Koidu.

Currently the Freetown headquarters produces 2 television channels for Freetown, one of which is intermittently distributed by satellite for relays in Bo, Kenema and Makeni. The other is a general entertainment channel (films etc.) A radio service is transmitted from Leicester Peak transmitting station on 100 MHz which covers a large part of the Western Area. The Freetown radio service is relayed by a number of the regional SLBC stations during parts of the day. The regional stations broadcast their own radio services for most of the day. They enjoy a great deal of autonomy from the Freetown headquarters.

Radio broadcasting uses FM exclusively. Previously a shortwave and mediumwave station were located at Goderich. A high power shortwave station also existed at Waterloo, but was mostly leased to international broadcasters. It was destroyed during the civil war. Television is broadcast in analogue on the UHF band.

In 1934 the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) was formed from the Freetown Rediffusion Service making it the earliest English language radio broadcast service in West Africa. Television broadcasts started in 1963 as a cooperation between the SLBS and commercial interests. Coverage was extended to all districts in 1978 when the service was also upgraded to colour.