Listeners threaten to sue MBC, Malawi Posts Corporation
Six months after closing its promotion, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) are yet to conduct a draw to identify winners, Nyasa Times can reveal.
The development has forced some Malawians who took part in the promotion to threaten the two organisations with law suit as they feel duped.
As part of the 15th Anniversary celebration for MBC Radio 2FM, the public broadcaster launched a promotion in partnership with the MPC where MBC Radio 2FM listeners were asked to vote through letters for their favourite presenters on the station since its inception in 1997.
The votes were to be sent only through the Malawi Post Office which were later to go for a draw scheduled to take place end of August with the top prize being K20 000 cash, as per the radio advert.
The promotion ran from mid July to mid August 2012 but since then the two institutions have remained silent on the matter despite thousands of people reportedly taking part in it.
Nyasa Times has gathered that listeners have now started writing MBC querying it whether the promotion was a practical joke meant to enhance its listenership as well as stamp revenues for the MPC.
“The listeners have fumed and some are actually threatening to sue the station for failing to conduct the draw,” a source close to the promotion told Nyasa Times.
He said the listeners are angry because they spent their energy, time and money on stamps, papers and envelopes to post their votes.
“They feel duped and are threatening to report MBC and MPC to the National Lotteries Board (NLB) for action,” he continued.
The source, however, revealed that the promotion was real and prices would eventually be given to winners.
He said MPC committed itself to give out cash prizes while MBC would present some material prizes to winners.
“MPC is ready to give out the cash prizes it promised but the problem is with the corporation [MBC] which is failing to meet its commitment,” he stated.
But Nyasa Times has found out that if the listeners report the matter to the National Lotteries Board, MBC and MPC would be in trouble as they ran the promotion without the blessing of the regulatory body.
NLB laws stipulate that any promotion that would require winning by chance must be registered to the board and prizes made available before commencement of the promotion which was not the case with the MBC and MPC.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
