Will KVZK-TV Merge with ASTCA?

astca-building

A meeting of staff of the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority and Interim Director/CEO of ASTCA, Rep Puleleiite Tufele Lia Jr, held last Thursday revealed for the first time a goal of Governor Lolo for KVZK- TV to become part of the telecommunications authority.

KHJ News has tried to get comment from Puleleiite for the last several days however he has not been available.

But staffers tell KHJ News that Puleleiite said at the meeting it’s the governor’s wish to have the Office of Public Information/KVZK-TV merge with ASTCA.

Puleleiite is reported to have said that since KVZK- TV doesn’t have enough funding, he will try and delay a merger until such time that the TV station receives money.

He also indicated that ASTCA is working on getting Internet Protocol  Television , which may not make a merger a wise move at this time.

This would be the first public revelation of a move to bring the television station under ASTCA, though there has been a lot of talk in the past about privatizing the tv station.

The main focus of the meeting last Thursday between ASTCA staff and their Interim Director/CEO was to give assurance that the operation will continue and jobs are secured, though efforts will be made to upgrade ASTCA ‘s services.

Meanwhile, there have been new faces popping up at ASTCA and contracts for former BlueSky employees being signed or in the works.

Governor Lolo has said that former BlueSky boss Aoe’e Adolfo Montenegro will be offered a contract once he returns on island.

Such a contract doesn’t have to go through the standard procurement process because ASTCA has the authority to do its own procurement.

Reliable sources tell KHJ News that the proposed contract for Montenegro is in the 6 figure range and ASG’s finance officials have expressed concern about the funding source since ASTCA doesn’t have money, and the Governor’s Office which is initiating the contract also doesn’t have the necessary funding to support a six figure salary for the telecommunications consultant.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,