The future of Fresh TV hangs in the balance as Government awaits a report from the new station before deciding whether to grant it an annual licence.

But the station insists that it is ?Bermuda?s station? and delivered hundreds of hours of local programming in its first year without any outside investment.

?Clearly they have challenges and I?m waiting to get an update on whether or not they are living up to expectations, and whether we should give them a licence,? Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb said yesterday.

?The Commission will look at them ? if they are not viable, then of course that?s a concern. They have to be able to deliver.?

Station owner Elmore Warren has declined requests to talk to this newspaper on the operation, but a Press statement issued yesterday highlighted its achievements over the past year, and invited the public to decide for themselves whether it had delivered on its promises.

The statement stressed that it had broadcast over 445 hours of live, local content and more than 625 hours of pre-recorded local content.

?The facts about Fresh TV,? according to the statement included being the first station to ?stand exclusively without network affiliations.?

?Fresh TV has provided its own content 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the past year. Fresh TV has trained locals to run the station. Fresh TV has employed over 30 Bermudians in freelance, part time and full time positions over the span of this year. Fresh TV does function with a core, multi-tasking, skeleton crew.?

It added: ?Fresh TV promised to provide Bermudians with an alternative station by presenting local and interactive content? and had delivered a one hour morning show every weekday, totalling 220 hours, from May 23 until April this year.

?BDAM (the morning show) has welcomed a diverse group of over 660 guests ranging from artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, sports figures, business people and charities to the person next door. BDAM is currently airing repeats but will return this summer.?

And it said the station had provided of a live half hour nightly news broadcast every weekday to date.

Another highlighted programme was ?Jungle Boogie? which ran every night for nine months.

?That?s 26 hours of live ?Jungle Boogie? which showcased over 15 local performers and DJs.

??Jungle Boogie? is a 26 episode series and is currently in its repeat season.? Further, it continued, the one hour youth show ?Strictly Gage and Crew? had aired ?two successful seasons? and was now in its repeat season.

?That?s 26 hours of live ?Strictly Gage and Crew?.?

Fresh TV had also aired five hours of ?The Law and You? a one hour bi-monthly series ?currently off air and will return this summer,? 14 hours of ?Tanzaoui Takes? another one hour live talk show, three hours of the half hour programme ?Gas?, which will finish off its season in June, 130 hours of ?Gospel Songs of Praise?, another half hour programme, and 130 hours of local videos.

And it had covered 26 hours of ?special live events? including the New Year?s Eve programme ?All night with Al? which ran for 12 hours, the funeral of former Finance Minister Eugene Cox (one hour), the 2003 General Election (four hours) and the four hour Bob Marley birthday tribute.

?Fresh TV has welcomed over ten student internships over the past year and we are currently providing this opportunity for Bermuda?s youth. Fresh TV has provided educational scholarships to young Bermudians over the past year in the amount of $2,600,? the statement continued. In addition, students and volunteers are given training in television production and the station ?welcomes local producers to showcase their work and has provided crew and equipment for local freelance producers and charities (Palm Rock Entertainment, HIV/AIDS entertainment, etc.)?.

Fresh TV ?embraces the cultural diversity of our community as a whole, by providing an outlet to promote events, talents, social issues and awareness and to educate Bermudians through the power of information.?

The statement noted that Fresh TV had managed to survive ?without investment or external financing. We are very proud of all of our achievements.?

Last year Ms Webb gave the station use of Government?s cable channel three for a trial period of one year without having to pay the annual $14,000 licence being paid by the Island?s other broadcasters.