Ferntrench National Broadcaster

The Ferntrench National Broadcaster, commonly known as the FNB, is a de facto public service broadcaster for the Federal Republic of Ferntrench and the Home Islands. While not the largest broadcasting organization in Flarland, the FNB is listed near the top. The FNB is owned by Ferntrench People Holdings, a sovereign wealth fund, however, the broadcaster is required to act as a public benefit corporation. Established as two separate corporations for radio (1928) and television (1956), the FNB has since grown exponentially. Opponents of the FNB say that the company is a true "imperialist corporation", citing its uncontrollable expansion in recent years.

While the FNB is not a public broadcaster per se, the corporation runs on a government charter and is funded by the public, making the FNB a de facto public broadcaster. The previous charter expired on December 1, 2019 and is currently in limbo. Many say that the charter is like the life force of the FNB; if it was ever to be destroyed, the FNB would never exist. The charter's second amendment (2010) prohibits the use of commercials on all domestic FNB channels; all revenue is collected through license fees for TTCable customers and annual charter grants; this was reverted in 2012 after Ferntrench asked for support from the IMF and was given a new commercial contract.

The FNB has a "shared resources agreement" with the Flarlandian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), Flarland's public broadcaster. As such, domestic FNB resources are used to cover the sovereign state in case of an emergency or any other event that compromises the FBC's ability to operate.

History

Radio Ferntrench under Flarlandian rule (1928-1942)

Radio Ferntrench was set up by the Flarlandian government in October 1928. It served its first role as a division of the Flarlandian Broadcasting Corporation before moving its editorial control to the newly-created Voice of Flarland in 1935.

In 1939, much like services in other overseas territories, with Ferntrench adopting a compact of free association like the Henleys and the Pakifas, RF was freed from its colonial status. However a series of protests held in 1941 led to a series of temporary shutdowns, resuming its operations in December of that year, when Ferntrench announced its status of independence, enacted on the 12th of February the following year.

Radio Ferntrench as a separate, state-run company (1942-2009)

On February 12, 1942, the Flarlandian colonial broadcasting organization was successfully handed over to the new, government-backed RF.

Ferntrench Television (1956-2009)

FTV started its television broadcasts on February 12, 1956 - the fourteenth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence - in Fow Toth City, though it took the network about five years to achieve nationwide coverage.

"On this day, we shall celebrate not only the liberation of our country, but also the introduction of the next step in technological achievements. May television be used responsibly. If television is used for other needs, then the viewers should be executed." This out of control speech was read out by Lord Plomley, first director-general of Ferntrench Television. The service ran from 19:30 to 21:00 on weekdays and Saturdays, while on Sundays, an extra period running between 17:30 and 18:00 was added.

The rest of the country gained television broadcasts by 1959. The television monopoly was broken in 1962.

The pre-Charter era (2005-2009)

Every major television network in Ferntrench was crippled, or in the case of the tiny Medianet TV, annihilated during the Rebellion of 2009. Although the violence was centered in the Capital Center region, Parkview was completely obliterated. FTV's leadership were placed at odds over how to cover the events following the Rebellion. Some Board of Commons members wanted FTV's operations and news base to be based out of Wyattsburg for the duration of the Rebellion, while others wanted to remain in West Allis. Ultimately, the latter half won, and operations remained in West Allis.

Operations

Radio

• FNB Radio 1
• FNB Radio 2

Television

The FNB operates five television channels.

• FNB 1 is the former FTV/FTV 1. The channel broadcasts a generalist scheddule.
• FNB 2 is the former Culture Channel/FTV 2. Initially broadcasting from 19:00 to 01:00 daily, the channel's lineup and offer have grown over time beyond highbrow topics. The channel is also used as overflow for FSTV.
• FNB NN is the news channel, formerly known as FNN. As FNN it had a separate editorial team and didn't broadcast relays of the FTV/FNB news.
• FSTV is the sports channel.
• FNB Kids is the children's channel. In the period before the rename to FNB, the channel was named Henry's Channel after the mascot of FNB's children's output, Henry the Hamster.