Government eyes NBC to broadcast PNG Chiefs NRL games nationwide
The Papua New Guinea Government is considering the National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] as the primary broadcaster for PNG Chiefs matches when the country enters Australia’s National Rugby League [NRL] competition in 2028, citing NBC’s unmatched national reach and its role in nation-building.
Prime Minister James Marape confirmed this while receiving a digital set-top box from NBC, as preparations continue for PNG’s historic inclusion in the NRL.
The PNG Chiefs franchise, expected to be based in Port Moresby, has the backing of both the PNG and Australian governments, with broadcasting rights identified as a key commercial and development component of the venture.
“There is a commercial element to this, and television coverage is a revenue mechanism for the NRL and its franchises,” Marape told NBC News. “For our team, NBC stands out as our national broadcast network, with a reach that is second to none."
The Prime Minister said NBC’s proposal to televise PNG Chiefs games would be given serious consideration, stressing that the franchise is about more than sport.
“Our entry into the NRL is not purely from a commercial or sporting perspective, but from a nation-building perspective,” Marape said. “That proposal is the right one, and I will take it up further to see how NBC can feature in relaying game broadcasts.”
While receiving the set-top box from NBC Acting Television Director Belshar Kutan on behalf of the board and management, Marape also praised the state broadcaster’s longstanding service to the country.
“NBC has been the anchor broadcaster for Papua New Guinea since 1975 and remains the number one news broadcaster in the country,” he said.
NBC has begun rolling out its television network following its transition from analogue to digital broadcasting last year. Viewers can now access NBC television services through a digital set-top box, which carries 21 channels.
The set-top box is available for purchase at K220 and allows viewers in Port Moresby and the provinces to receive free NBC channels nationwide.
The set-top box is a one off payment with no additional fees added during its use.
