South Sea Islands Broadcasting Association
 | |
| Type | Public Limited Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television and radio broadcasting |
| Founded | 1697 AN |
| Headquarters | Joseph Town, South Sea Islands |
| Area served |
South Sea Islands |
The South Sea Islands Broadcasting Association, often abbreviated to the SSIBA, is a television and radio broadcasting company located in the South Sea Islands.
From its headquarters at Woolsthorpe Manor in Joseph Town, the SSIBA broadcasts a variety of programming on one digital television station and four digital radio stations. With a full time staff of just 15 people, the association is the main course of local news for many in the South Sea Islands, and it is also used by the Government of the South Sea Islands to relay messages and official broadcasts.
Ownership of shares in the SSIBA is common amongst the resident of the South Sea Islands, with shareholders regularly being invited to contribute programming ideas, feedback, and even star as extras in television and radio broadcasts. In addition to revenue generated by the sale of shares, the SSIBA is funded by the sale of advertisements, donations and a subscription service offered to residents on continental Corum as well as in Nova England (in an online-only format).
Television
Known simply as TV SSIBA, the association's digital TV channel broadcasts Monday-Saturday from 7.00 until 23.00 (local time). Due to the limited audience, particularly during the night time hours and on Sundays, the decision was taken to focus on producing quality content within these hours.
News updates, the shipping forecast, locally produced nature documentaries and the soap opera Pier Side Avenue are consistently the most viewed programs on the channel, with weather forecasts also proving to be particularly popular during winter or other periods of extreme weather.
Television programming is broadcast from the association's headquarters in Joseph Town.A former airship hangar on the outskirts of the city now hosts studios where many regular programs are filmed.
Radio
The SSIBA produces and broadcasts four radio stations:
- SSI Today (national)
- Trinity Island FM (local)
- Grand Wulfram FM (local)
- SSIBA Micras Service (international)
SSI Today and SSIBA Micras Service, both of which operate 24/7, are both produced at the association headquarters in Joseph Town. Trinity Island FM, while also located in Joseph Town, is broadcast from a smaller studio located at the city's harbour. Meanwhile, Grand Wulfram FM is produced in Zuid-Richel. The local stations are consciously separated from the main association to allow local content to be broadcast for and by local people. The stations are largely staffed by volunteers, with only technical professionals being retained as salaried staff.
The SSIBA Micras Service is considered to be an asset of national importance by the Government of the South Sea Islands, as it carries the islands culture and perspective internationally, and for that reason it is receives considerable subsidies from the national government. Despite this, the association's staff have discretion and editorial control over the content being broadcast.
Cinema
In addition to regular programming, the SSIBA has also produced a number of feature length films, notably Into the Beyond and The Long Way Back. While the films were initially released in cinemas, they are now routinely shown on TV SSIBA.
