FG Approves Merger of NCC/National Broadcasting Commission

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the merger of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), paving way for the collapse of the two agencies into one powerful entity, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now report.

But it is only an approval in principle as a new Act (law) is needed to give the resultant baby from the merger legal teeth.

Wednesday’s FEC meeting which was chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan lasted into the night and brushed aside strong objections to the merger by the Ministry of Information.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered from sources at the meeting that President Jonathan is wielding his political will to position the ICT industry as economy driver and ostensibly to cut waste.

According to the source, the ministry of Communications Technology put forward profound argument for the merger which impressed the President.

“The ministry of Communications Technology pointed to digitization programme and insisted that streamlining the regulators would be a requisite to achieving the country’s target of fully migrating to digital broadcast by 2015,” said one of our sources.

Our sources noted that CT ministry argued that opening up frequencies locked away by broadcasting stations would widen telecom operators offering of voice and data services and, consequently, increase penetration, especially in the country’s rural areas.

Merging the broadcasting regulator and its telecom counterpart has been topical issue matter for debate with both sides of the divide arguing for and against with strong passion.

Ministry of Information officials, our sources stated argued against the merger in last Wednesday’s FEC meeting pointing at infrastructural challenges as well need to keep the broadcast industry under close watch to guide against abuse.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that at a point in the FEC discussions President Jonathan reportedly asked Labaran Maku, Minister of Information, how many times broadcast stations have been shut in the past six years, to which the minister said five times.

On the score the argument, Mr. President gave his nod for the merger but said he would have to look at the procedures closely to guard against the problems the process is seeking to eliminate.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the new draft National ICT Policy, released in January 2012 seeks to bring together all of Nigeria’s related technology policy under a single statute.

This is by overhauling outdated regulations to better manage the country’s dramatic growth in computer and internet usage over the past decade.

Under the policy the government intends to create legal and institutional frameworks.

The draft also targets improving access, investment, research and development, and plans legislation in cyber crime, ethical and moral conduct, privacy, copyright, intellectual property rights, piracy and e-transactions.”

Kudos, Knocks As NBC Clocks 20

THE National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the government regulatory agency that superintends over the nation’s airwaves as it concerns broadcasting clocks 20 this month. The legal framework that gave birth to the agency was promulgated on August 24, 1992 by the then Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

Tagged: National Broadcasting Commission Act No. 38 of 1992, its enactment heralded the deregulation of the broadcasting industry which had hitherto been monopolized by the governments, at federal, regional, and later, state levels.

At the dawn of civil rule in 1999, the extant law underwent certain amendment and this was captured as National Broadcasting Commission (Amendment) Act NO.55 of 1999, endorsed on May 26, 1999 by the then Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abdubakar.

Apart from advising the Federal Government generally on the implementation of the National Mass Communication Policy with particular reference to broadcasting, the functions of the commission, principally, include: receiving, processing and considering applications for the establishment, ownership or operation of radio and television stations, including cable television services, direct satellite broadcast and any other medium of broadcasting.

Largely, the commission scores high point in the discharge of its functions as it relates to overall regulating and controlling of the broadcast industry in the last 20 years of existence.

However, what critics find repugnant is the vesting of the power to grant radio and TV licences in the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as NBC serves, ordinarily, as channel through which applications for licences are recommended.

Even with this constraint, it is on record that the commission has facilitated the existence and operation of more than 300 radio and TV stations. Information from the NBC indicates that, today, there are 305 functional broadcast stations in Nigeria. Indeed, from first set of 14 TV and 13 Multi-channel, Multi-point Distribution System (MMDS) licences issued in 1992, the figure has grown to 122 television; 177 radio stations; 24 MMDS and 12 Direct-to-Home licences issued so far.

To the commission’s pioneer Director General, Dr. Tom Adaba, “NBC has done very well within these 20 years, going from 24 stations in 1992 to over 300 stations today. This is in itself a big accomplishment.”

Apart from the physical presence of these stations, Dr. Adaba also scored the agency high in the area of its regulatory function. “NBC has not done badly at all. Ditto the introduction of digital broadcasting, which shows that broadcasting in Nigeria is following the world trend. I think they are doing a very good job and the area I still see there is a lot of work to be done is the issue of publicity and mobilisation of the people about digitisation.

“Take for example, with the MPEG4 that is being introduced, a station, after the digital migration, will be able to take as many as 12 to 15 channels! Meaning what was one channel before, would accommodate 12 to 15 channels! The question is, what are you going to showcase in those channels? The issue of content becomes paramount, and to me, it will require a great deal of campaign to be able to sensitise both the operators and the general public for them to prepare well for this challenge. I think NBC still needs to do great work on this. But by and large, NBC has done a very good job in the last 20 years.”

Now that the federal government has released the White Paper on the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Digitisation with a new switchover date of January 1, 2015, the veteran broadcaster would like the commission to hit the ground and start running. “We can’t afford to miss this second chance. We have wasted a lot of time, it is better we got our act together and mobilise Nigerians if the new deadline of January 1, 2015 would be met,” he said.

Adaba also believed in the on-going campaign for the review of the NBC Act, saying that the amendment has become desirable in view of new trends and development in the broadcasting industry globally.

Media critic and Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of Media Review, Mr. Lanre Idowu, also scored the agency high in area of serving as a credible monitor, promoting the quest for sanity on the airwaves. Idowu however canvassed more autonomy for the agency for it to bark and bite appropriately in the effort to raise the bar for swifter response to ethical and regulatory infractions.

“The good work that the NBC has done in the area of providing guidelines for community broadcasting has remained mere intentions because it lacks the policy muscle to execute without awaiting the approval of government,” Idowu reasoned. He said further that, “at a time that the country is talking of amending the Constitution, the time has come for an amendment that allows a levy on radio and television receivers to be collected by the NBC as part of the move to build a fairly independent regulatory body that is not beholden to the government of the day.”

The grouse of the Journalism teacher at the Lagos State University, Mr. Tunde Akanni with the NBC is that it has never distinguished itself. “Ironically, it has been led by distinguished persons like erudite Tom Adaba, and even the incumbent, Yomi Bolarinwa, a most versatile professional.”

Statutorily, Akanni insisted that the agency is handcuffed. “It can set standard but cannot conclude the same process it is mandated to oversee. I mean the licensing of broadcast stations. Why won’t NBC be given same measure of power as Nigerian Communication Commission NCC?

“Good news however is that technology is smarter than the mischievous law and policy makers we are unlucky to have here. They only need to find out how powerless they are now with the inception of new media technology. In Brazil today, several radio stations simply choose to broadcast from Net without bothering to seek any licence from government. Can you imagine any government toying with the idea of proscribing any newspaper like Abacha did years back? One certain thing is that Orosanye or no Orosanye, NBC has limited time to leave given the weakening effect technology keeps impacting on it,” Akanni declared

The impact of technology on broadcasting especially in the post NBC at 20 era is the kernel of the submission of Mr. Bayo Atoyebi, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Press Council (NPC), who had previously served as Acting Director General of the commission.

“The convergence of regulation is world-wide and among the best practices is that at the UK’s Office of Communications (Offcom). Here, of its six functions, four relates to broadcasting while two concerns telephony. This perhaps is a strong pointer that broadcasting may not be subsumed or submerged into telephony when the regulators have to converge.
Of critical note, is the world wide transition from analogue to digital whose final switch-off, as set by ITU is June 17, 2015.

“Already, Nigeria has lagged  behind its national 2012 deadline, therefore, critical rapidity needs be injected into implementation phases. For now Television is of utmost concerns, where challenges of set top boxes deserves most critical governmental attention.

“Nevertheless, unless harmony is engendered and unanimity of broadcast formats are established, the respite radio broadcast enjoys from digital transition, for the immediate future could evolve into conflicting DAB/DRM and etc platforms that may shortchange radio audience in our nation. This should take into long term cognisance the broadcast formats of neighbour nations surrounding Nigeria.”
Another issue of concern raised by Atoyebi is the establishment of community radio in the country. He submitted: “The universally acclaimed third tier of radio broadcasting — community radio is  a tier that Nigeria is lagging behind in its desirous development. Radio for the community; owned by the categories of communities and run or managed by the community deserves more positive impetuses.”

Broadcasting, as a calling, he insisted, “deserves to have a conclave of professional peers : a Nigerian Society of Broadcasters for want of a better name. This kind of body, available but not orgsnised, should serve as independent restraining and advisory body of peers that can impinge on standards that are suffering grave on-air deficit by each day.”

The issue of the independence of the regulatory agency did not escape Atoyebi’s attention, cautioning that, “unless the management of broadcasting, in both government owned or the privately owned is encapsulated with professional operational independence, the current order of the owner, either government or the individual especially politicians, dictating the tune will continue to undermine freedom of expression and the integrity of broadcasting.

“In the same vein, current suggestions to wean broadcasting control off the Executive arm of government to the Legislative arm may not be far sighted. For, even as today many a legislator are distinguished owners of broadcasting and we may be robbing one executive Paul to pay a legislative Peter. Here is wishing for a professional NBC many scores of years of affective regulation in the service of our nation.”

Another former DG of the commission, Dr. Silas Babayiya Yisa provided an insight into the inconclusiveness of the merger exercise between the NBC and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) that was initiated in 2006 with a warning that certain pitfall should be avoided now that the issue has surfaced again in the report submitted recently by the Orosanye panel.

“With regards to planned merger of NBC with NCC, or if I may put it correctly, absorption of NBC into NCC, in 2006, the NBC under my leadership did not oppose the idea, but we were not comfortable with way and manner which the then Minister of Information went about it.

“The whole process was in a rush and suspicious with verbal instructions to dismantle all NBC structures and disengage the staff. The then Minister told me he wanted only a maximum of 100 staff out of 600+ hard working people spread all over the federation. I needed to buy time in order to secure the jobs and livelihood of the staff.  Bye and large, I think the whole planned merger failed then because things were not well thought out.

“Also, principal drivers behind the merger then were licencees who had always seen the NBC as, if I may put it, a stumbling block to their lust for lawlessness, like refusal to pay licence fees and so on.”

He is optimistic that the merger process this time around may yield positive result with a far reaching effect on the functionality of the NBC in years to come. “I am sure that this time around the committee is much more open and devoid of personal and selfish interest and probably much more  detailed within a much wider scope of the whole exercise. I am sure that committee this time around, will adopt a more holistic approach in a wider context of repositioning of government apparatus for effective service delivery.”

Historically, broadcasting began in Nigeria 77 years ago. It started with radio in 1935 from empire service to re-diffusion service; and later radio Nigeria. Television came in 1959. Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service (WWBS) was the first regional broadcasting service. Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Service (ENBS) followed in 1960. Northern Nigeria (BCNN) in 1962.

Prof. Sam Oyovbare was the Minister of Information at the birth of NBC in 1992; Dr. Tom Adaba as pioneer DG and serving on a 10-man board headed Mr. Peter Enahoro with Bright Igbako as Secretary to the Commission.

As first of its kind in the history of Africa, NBC task at inception was to set up an administrative structure, the nucleus of which was the red bricks building at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), in Lagos. The Commission went for young people who could grow and grow with the Commission and till date, its leadership has always been from within. Headquarters was moved from Lagos to Abuja in 1998, while the second Director General, Mallam Nasir Danladi Bako, was appointed in July 1999. He resigned his appointment in November 2002 and Dr. Silas Babajiya Yisa took over as the third DG until August 2006 when Mr. Bayo Atoyebi replaced him in an acting capacity.

The present DG, engineer Yomi Bolarinwa, a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers was appointed in 2007 on acting capacity, but later confirmed by the late President Yar’adua on February 17, 2009.

The Commission is made up of five directorates: office of the Secretary and Legal Adviser to the Commission; Broadcast Content and Enforcement; Broadcast Policy and Research; Engineering Technology; and Management Services. The department of Public Affairs and Internal Audit are under the Office of the Director General. In addition, there are ten Zonal Offices and 17 state offices.

AFRICAST, the summit of African broadcasters’ biennial conference initiated by the commission made its debut in 1996.

It has become a platform that brings broadcasters, manufacturers of broadcasting equipment, academics, scholars, students of broadcasting and mass communication together on every two years. The ninth edition of the programme is due for October, this year.

The NBC News is the publication of the Commission (a quarterly magazine). It keeps the reader abreast of what is happening in the broadcast industry.

There is also the regulator, which is the in-house journal for staff, as platform to express and discuss professional and personal issues among one another.

Through its function of undertaking research and development in the broadcast industry, the commission is proud to announce that television broadcast now reach more than 24million house-holds nationwide.

And as the driver of the Nigeria’s march to digitization, the NBC will be deriving inspiration from countries that have completed the process with minimal hitches, especially, the United States of America that finalized its switchover on June 12, 2009.

With the DIGITEAM, which is being put together to work on the transition programme as approved by the government white paper, and the fact that, as far back as 2006, all cable licensees, Direct-to-Home — the Satellite service providers — have gone digital, the commission is optimistic that the digital race to the new deadline of January 1, 2015 is most assured.

And the 20th anniversary on August 24, 2012 will be marked with the launch of the fifth edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, that was finalized at the Code Review Retreat held between September 5 and 8, 2011 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Source: The Guardian

Media NGOs Submit Memo on Constitution Review to National Assembly

A network of media non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has submitted a Memorandum to the National Assembly seeking constitutional provisions to guarantee media freedom and independence, the right of access to information and the independence of media regulatory bodies.

Jointly submitted by the International Press Centre (IPC), the Institute for Media and Society (IMS) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA) on the platform of the Media Network on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, copies of the 50-page Memorandum were delivered separately by representatives of the three organizations to the relevant committees in the two chambers of the National Assembly - the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The organizations however said the proposals contained in the Memorandum were developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON), the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).

They said other critical stakeholders and interest groups were also consulted, including through the convening of a consultative meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on June 14 and 15, 2012.

The organizations argued in the Memorandum that although the issues of media freedom and independence, freedom of expression and right to information were not specifically listed among the items in the “Call for Memoranda” issued by the Senate as issues upon which memoranda were requested from the public, “we believe that these are nonetheless critical matters that will promote good governance and improve the Nigerian State if adequate provisions are made for them in the proposed new Constitution.”

The Memorandum recommends that a constitutional backing for the right of access to information should be included in the proposed new Constitution as a sub-section of the current Section 39, adding that this new section should be a comprehensive section containing guarantees for a range of free expression, media freedom and access to information rights.  Specifically, it proposes that Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution should be amended to have new sub-sections that provide for the following:

· Express guarantee of right to press/media freedom, media independence and right of access to information

·Definition or categorization of state (called government) media, as one established to provide information gathering and dissemination services in the public interest

·Declaration that all laws or actions negating the principle of state media serving public interest are inconsistent with the principles of press/media freedom as enshrined in the constitution

·Decriminalization of libel and non-censorship of the media

·Nullification or invalidation of any other legislation that clearly undermines freedom of the press or media, including the Official Secrets Acts and the 1966 Defamatory and Offensive Publication Act

·Removal of managers and editors of state media from the control of the executive; appointment to be done through a process that subjects them only to the confirmation of the National Assembly or state Houses of Assembly or possibly through the recommendation of an independent commission

·Obligation of the state and private media to provide fair opportunities for the expression of divergent views and equitable access for political parties and candidates during elections

· Protection of journalism confidentiality privileges as contained in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

A summary of other proposals contained in the Memorandum are that:

·Section 22 of the Constitution be removed from the current Chapter II (Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy) and made a section (or subsection of section 39) under chapter IV (Fundamental Rights) to make it possible for the right conferred on the media therein to be legally enforceable.

· The new section/subsection should impose obligation on state and public institutions to uphold the provision and not do anything that encumbers the media in exercising the right to monitor governance

·The new section/subsection should guarantee the right of access to information as part of determining if the state is working in line with the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter II.

· The new section/subsection should obligate the state to declassify information that is needed by the media to perform its monitoring obligations pursuant to the objectives and principles of state policy.

· The provisions in Section 39(2) that vests the authority to grant broadcast licences in the President should be amended.

· The power to authorize licences should be vested on the regulatory body in charge of broadcasting.

·The regulatory body in charge of broadcasting should be made one of the Federal Executive Bodies recognised in Section 153 and under the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution. It should therefore be listed in those sections accordingly. This is due to the critical role the broadcast regulator plays as an essential tool in aiding the development of the country's democracy through ensuring the effective development and regulation of the nation's airwaves, which remains the most critical source of information for the generality of the citizenry. Making the broadcast regulator one of the Federal Executive Bodies in the Constitution would therefore also guarantee to it adequate funding for its operations.

·All members of the governing body of the broadcast regulator should be appointed by the National Assembly after open public hearings, and they should be accountable to the National Assembly in order to ensure that the broadcast regulator is fully independent of government

·The dominance of government officials in the governing body of the broadcast regulator should be curtailed by removing representation for the State Security Service (SSS) and, possibly, the Federal Ministry of Information from the membership

· The process of appointing representatives of the different interests groups that constitute the governing body of the broadcast regulator should include a requirement for consultation to be held with the various stakeholders in each of the named sub-sectors of the Nigerian society when selecting their representatives for appointment to the governing body.

·The members of the governing body and staff of the regulatory body should have security of tenure and clearly defined conditions of service.

·Part of the functions of the regulatory body should be the exclusive power or right to issue and revoke broadcast licenses, through a transparent process with clearly stated criteria that are publicly available. This function should not be exercised with reference to or under the instructions of any other authority but the decisions of the governing body in this regard should be subject to judicial review. Consequently, the proviso to Section 39(2) of the 1999 Constitution should be amended to reflect this principle of empowering the regulatory body to so act.

·The collection or management of resources that belong to the broadcasting sector should not be assigned to local governments. This function should be assigned to the broadcast industry.

·Section 1(b) of the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution which empowers local governments to collect radio and television licence fees should be removed. This provision should be re-worded to give the power of collection and management to the regulatory body in charge of broadcasting. 

·The re-worded provision should be located in another part of the constitution where the regulatory body in charge of broadcasting is recognized/listed as a Federal Executive Body and included as part of its functions. 

ONDO GUBER ELECTION: NBC Cautions Broadcast Media Against Incitement

By Agency Reporter

The National Broadcasting Commission has cautioned the broadcast media to avoid political issues that could incite members of the public.
This caution is contained in a statement issued by Public Relations Officer, NBC, Mrs. Maimuna Jinadu, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.
The statement quoted the NBC Director-General, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, as saying that radio and television broadcast should be guided by principles of fairness, truthfulness, decency and high integrity.
“NBC and media executives resolved that broadcasting in Nigeria should match the best in the world, uphold human dignity, inform, educate and entertain the people in a manner that is ennobling,” it said.
It, however, pointed out that the experience of the commission in Ondo State in recent times had been heart breaking.
“Despite the Electoral Law, campaigns started in some stations as far back as August 2011, 11 months ahead of time; yet the law only allows 90 days for campaigning in the media.
“From August 2011 till date, we have witnessed with shock, the complete disregard of broadcast rules by some stations.
“Political jingles are in excess of 60 seconds; campaign language has been abusive and sometimes simply inciting,” it said.
The statement said that the airwaves were charged with indecent and unacceptable rhetoric, including innuendos, euphemism and metaphors in jingles.
It said the commission noticed with dismay the imbalance in political coverage exhibited by the stations.
“We have observed with amazement the denial of access to some political parties and candidates without any justifiable reason.
“Some stations have become the exclusive preserve of certain political parties and candidates.
“As we speak, commercialisation of political broadcasts has become a recurring practice in Ondo State.
“This is not acceptable,” it said.
The statement said the commission understood the zeal of stations to generate revenue, adding that it was not necessary to compromise professionalism and the ethics of the journalism profession.
It said the NBC was not bothered that politicians were trying to outdo one another, but that broadcasters should not encourage them.
It contended that the media should know better and defend the code and sensibilities of their audience.
The statement warned that severe sanctions would be imposed on any station found wanting.
“The Nigeria Broadcasting Code enjoins all broadcasting stations to grant access to all contestants in every election to canvass for votes in a manner that is decent and civil.
“NBC encourages issue-based campaign, and nothing should be done to incite the public to violence,” the statement said.
It reminded the stations that the duration of a political jingle was 60 seconds, maximum, and the language of campaign must be rancour-free.
The statement stressed that the commission had a duty to uphold the broadcast code, no matter whose interest was at stake.
It reminded the media of the misuse of broadcasting in 1983 election in Ondo State and the consequences of such behaviour.
It said that as a regulator of the broadcast industry, the NBC was determined to be firm in the enforcement of the broadcast rules, no matter whose ox is gored.
“Every station would henceforth be held accountable for its actions or inaction as stipulated in the code,” the agency warned.

Why NBC/NCC merger should be handled with caution, by Adaba ,Ex NBC DG

The report submitted by Stephen Oronsaye-led Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies has reopened the imperativeness of merger of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC). As a trend dictated by technology especially the convergence of broadcasting, telecommunication and Internet, there is a consensus that the merger of the two agencies is just a matter of time. However, experts have continued to call for caution in the process of actualising this global trend. Former Director General of the NBC, Dr. Tom Adaba is a leading voice on why the project should be undertaken with utmost care. He spoke with NKECHI ONYEDIK. 

Dr Tom Adaba

Excerpts:
THE merger of NBC and NCC has emerged again in the report submitted recently by Steve Oronsaye panel, why should these agencies merge?
That is really what bothers me, especially for the NBC and NCC. You will see that NCC works more on technical things such as the frequencies. At the point NBC was being established, this issue came up and it was clearly resolved in the sense that the block wavering of frequencies for broadcasting were now set aside for NBC to handle while NCC takes care of the frequencies meant for telephony.
That was the way it was handled because the major area that really bothers me is the issue of content. Broadcasting is a very sensitive thing and unless it is well-handled by professionals who know about it, it can create serious security problem for us in this country. It is not a matter of just having a scientist; it is a matter of having a scientist who has great idea of the act, especially programming and content. Content management is a serious business. Therefore, I think it will be a lot safer if these two agencies are allowed to operate separately. NBC should take care of the broadcast element and its content and channel distribution while NCC continues with telephony and others.
If however government still feels that they still have to merge, let there be two strong bodies with distinct functions spelt out clearly: I mean one handling the broadcast element; and the other handling telephony. But indeed, I see the possibility of a crisis in the merger. Yes, another argument will be the issue of convergence, that indeed, there is so much of convergence in terms of management of frequencies, you have the internet and other facilities, how do you place them and how do you handle the content. I believe that these things can easily be resolved. I feel very strongly that the two agencies should be allowed to exist separately for greater efficiency and security of this country. Somebody can make a blunder in a simple broadcast and that can set this country on fire.
The good thing about telephone is that nobody can listen to you. But the impact misinformation through broadcasting will have on the public is far more than what you can think of when you compare it with telephony. We need to be very cautious and careful; this was my advice to the panel. I will not be surprised if after the merger, the frequencies meant for broadcast are used for telephony even though the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) had demarcated the frequencies.
If we go back into history, before the civil war, there was an allegation that a statement that was made on one of the foreign radio stations set this country ablaze and brought about the beginning of the civil war. We cannot let that happen again, we can’t toy with the lives of the citizenry of this country. Programming has a lot to do with making and marring of the society, the earlier the government realizes this, the better for all of us.
Why is it that Nigeria finds it difficult to easily embrace global trend?
I don’t know, we have imbibed it, it has become our culture, unfortunately if we go back a little bit, we will discover that many of the things we do now have a military trait to it.
During the military regime, whenever a particular Junta comes into power, what the previous regime did becomes nothing, notwithstanding the merits and demerits of what the previous government has established. They forget that government should be a continuum, they come and just put aside everything. This precisely is what is happening to us. In an attempt to make an impression, we look for one form of a change or the other, no matter how wise or unwise it is, it doesn’t take us anywhere.
How do you think the project should be pursued now since the first attempt in 2006 failed to scale through?
In all sincerity, the government should look deeply into the issue in all ramifications and consider also the consequences on the citizenry. I am passionate about this because of what implications this could have. I am sure that the Obasanjo’s regime that looked at it and dropped it knew the implications and the consequences. The government should take a second look at the issue so as to know what to do. The merger is harmful to societal needs, if you get a pure scientist into handling issues that are related to content, I am afraid. I agree that the present Director General of NBC is an Engineer but he has been in the system for a long time and have seen what it is by the way of programming and good enough, he has some competent assistants. If you get somebody coming in there and lording it over programmes, you will have loads of problem but I don’t anticipate it, I hope government will look into it again.
Do you think that government has the political will to drive this merger to a successful end?
I honestly don’t know, let them do what they want, I can’t tell. One of my observations is that generally, the very slow nature of governance, perhaps in an attempt to check viewpoints across the country, the delay itself creates another problem on its own. The government had already told us that they are setting up a White Paper Panel, which they have done, we are waiting for what the panel will come out with. They said two months so let’s wait and see, if I have my way I will say that even a month would have taken care of it. Sometimes, this procrastination create a lot of problem because you get a lot of lobbyists come in here and there and at the end of the day, everything is so watered down that it doesn’t have any meaning but I pray that government would be able to do something about that.
Do you have any template that you would like government to follow to achieve the desired result?
No I don’t have, I only want government to increase its pace, the pace matters and in our given circumstance, I know there is a lot of wisdom in being very careful, respecting the fact that we still need to look at quite a few other things, what are the urgent needs of the people and so on. We don’t know what the direction is right now as far as this merger is concerned, except those who go around places checking grapevine stories like you.
Do you foresee some legal impediments considering that both agencies were established through the Act of the National Assembly?
I want to believe that by the time this issue of merger is sorted out by the Executive, they will still go to the National Assembly. If the National Assembly feel they are satisfied with what the Executive has done, they will give it a nod but if they are not satisfied, they might have to thinker with it and come out with something that may reflect the aspirations of the people.
How then can we move the Nigerian broadcast industry forward?
Right now, the issue of digitisation is on, I am not too sure we know the implication of this, the ordinary person has not realized that it he is going to go digital, he needs to get the decoder except by the grace of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) that now has StarTimes decoder. That is what is going to happen to others, unless they go into the bouquet of the one that already have the decoders.
In a paper I presented at the recent broadcast summit in Lagos, I made it clear that there is need for a lot of orientation for ordinary person and even for the stations themselves. The channels we are using now, at the point we go digital, we can split them into 10 channels and fill those channels with something. How prepared are we with programmes that will make the rounds, 10 channels instead of one, 24hours a day, 7 days a week, it is not a joke, that is why I advise that the television owners should be serious about this and seek some level of cooperation in common programmes that could emerge in some areas of each station. If I know that station A has a lot of talents in terms of musicals, why can’t I tell him to give us musicals? If station B is good at sports, why can’t it handle sports and the other one will take up documentary, etc. It cuts down cost, time and everything. Why must each station have a tower of its own? Why can’t they share one, I mean, co-sitting of their transmitters will do a lot of good, the NBC and the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria have a lot of work to do in this direction to begin to sensitise our media owners on this issue. Instead of this issue of merger, we should pursue how we can meet up with the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting. By the time we go digital, there would be a lot of programmes and issues that not only one agency can handle.
Culled From The Guardian.