SECTOR 3 3.7 The state/public broadcaster is adequately funded in a manner that protects it from arbitrary interference through its budget and from commercial pressure. Over a decade ago, the state broadcaster relied heavily on government grants and advertising revenue to sustain itself. The funding derived from licence fees was inadequate as the majority of television owners would not pay the required monthly fee of Rs25. This changed with the enactment of the MBC Collection of Licence Fees Act, which makes it compulsory for every household in Mauritus to pay a levy of Rs100 (US$3) every month towards television fees. This fee is added directly to electricity bills, and it is estimated that an average of 300,000 households pay this amount each month. This translates into Rs30 million every month. The only way for households to get out of this financial obligation is to prove that they do not own a television set. A letter has to be written to the MBC informing them of this fact, and they will then pay a visit to that household to substantiate this claim. This obligatory licence has allowed MBC to decline grants that were being provided by the government. The MBC is uniquely placed to charge high advertising rates because it is the only local television broadcaster in the country. The MBC does not succumb to commercial pressure despite huge contracts from advertisers. For example, a contractual obligation between the very popular Lotto and the MBC states that the lotto draw will be aired live every Saturday at 8:20pm. This contractual obligation has been set aside several times because the MBC will often air the Prime Minister’s speech in full at this particular time. The Lotto draw often only takes place 10 to 15 minutes later. It is very unlikely that the lottery franchise holders will protest because they received their licence from Government and would not want to risk having it revoked. 44 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MAURITIUS 2010