Lesotho radio station’s licence remains suspended following family impasse

The suspension of Lesotho’s 357FM, which was supposed to lapse on January 10, is yet to be lifted, with that country’s communications regulatory authority saying they were waiting for the official appointment of the radio station’s representative to the regulatory body.

On January 10, 2022, the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), said 357FM, whose operations were suspended in November 2021, “will remain suspended until there has been a formal and official appointment of a new management representative” to the communications authority.

MISA Lesotho chairperson, Lekhetho Ntsukunyane, described the issue as “complicated”. During the radio station’s suspension, he explained, 357FM’s owner died, triggering infighting within his family over control of the station.

With the ongoing impasse, LCA responded by extending the suspension of the radio station’s licence.

357FM’s licence was withdrawn after the station allegedly failed to comply with a directive of the LCA Broadcasting Disputes and Resolution Panel.

The station had on, October 21, 2021, been ordered to apologise to the leader of the opposition Basotho Action Party (BAP), Nqosa Mahao, who accused the broadcaster of waging a campaign of character assassination.