Channels TV chairman and CEO John Momoh has stepped down from his position as chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).
John Momoh
The news was revealed by Godfrey Ohuabunwa during the presidential debate organised by the BON and the Nigeria Elections Debate Group on January 19. Ohuabunwa is currently the organisation’s acting chairman.
“I want to let you know that John Momoh has just left as the chairman of BON and I am the newest chairman of BON,” Ohuabunwa said.
Momoh, an alumnus of University of Lagos, Lagos Business School and Harvard Business School, founded Channels TV in 1995. He was elected BON chairman in 2016.
In June 2013 he received the Lagos Business School’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
International broadcast business event Africast is under way in Nigeria, following an opening speech by Mallam Kawu, director general of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
The three-day event runs from October 23 to 25 at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Abuja.
The 12th biennial conference and exhibition of Africa broadcasters was attended by many dignitaries and personalities. As well as Kawu, these included NBC board chairman Alh Ikra Aliyu Bilbis; Senator Suleiman Adokwe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values; and the Honourable Olusegun Dokun Odebunmi, chairman of the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values.
The event started with a speech by Kawu, who emphasised the importance of this year’s Africast as a platform to keep broadcasters abreast of world class exposition.
NBC director general Mallam Kawu
“Since 1996, the NBC successfully hosted Africast as the destination broadcast event on the African continent for broadcasters, broadcast regulators, communicators and stakeholders from all over Africa and the rest of the world.
“This 12th edition will host a varied participation of over 700 delegates from across the globe and provide a platform for world-class exposition showcasing the best in creativity, innovation and technological advancements in Africa’s broadcast and media ecosystem.”
He claimed that Nigeria’s digital switchover projects had improved the country’s broadcasting. “We have brought the digital television experience to 25.4 million people in those states, with about 3.7 million television homes,” he said.
“The Nigerian digital broadcasting experience has allowed us to unfurl an architecture that has enriched us in knowledge and experience. We now know better how to bring all the components of the digital switchover together.”
On day one, the first session of paper presentations was chaired by Barr Salihu Bamidele Aluko, a member of the NBC board, while the other speakers were Engr Edward Amana, chairman of Digiteam Nigeria, and Martyn Horspool, product manager for TV transmission at GatesAir in the US.
Mac O Emakpore
The second session was chaired by Haija Sa’s Ibrahim, MD of ARTV, and featured Ijeoma Onah, founder of NITV; Shileola Ibironke, MD of Micromedia Group; Abdulkareem Mohammed; and Seamus Gallagher.
Day two featured presentations, interactive sessions, masterclasses, discussions and plenary sessions.
The first session was chaired by Professor Armstrong Idachaba, director of broadcast monitoring. The presentations looked at The Changing Demographics – How to Serve an Impatient and Highly Mobile Youth Audience, by Toyosi Ogunseye, and Digital Future – Closing the Digital Divide, by Clint Brown.
In the heated discussion, Toyosi claimed: “Broadcast has gone through several transformations in the past. Those transformations altered our viewing habits. What we are now seeing is mobile transforming the face of broadcast, allowing several social platforms to compete for our attention.”
Former director of broadcast monitoring Mac O Emakpore chaired the second session on the topic Social Media’s Tsunamic Disruption of Broadcast News and Electronic Journalism, which was presented by Prof Gerard Igyor of Millersville University in Pennsylvania.
He said: “We have seen cases of rioting caused by misinformation on electronic media, most especially social media.”
John Momoh, CEO of Channels Television, said: “Traditional media must use social media for its own good. Social media is not good or bad, it is what you use it for that matters.”
Industry body the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) is to honour veteran broadcasters in Nigeria by creating a hall of fame.
John Momoh
The project, created by John Momoh, the Chairman of BON and CEO of Channels Media, will recognise broadcasters who have contributed to the growth of the industry.
Osaze Iyamu, convener of the broadcasters’ group, said 15 people had been selected for the hall of fame from more than 120 nominations.
“The hall of fame is recognition for achievers in the broadcast industry. It should have come a long time ago,” Iyamu said.
Broadcasters honoured include Anike Agbaje Williams, Suleiman Takuma, Abba Zoru, Kunle Olasope and Isola Folorunso.
John Momoh, CEO of Channels Television Group and chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), has been named national president of the University of Lagos (Unilag) Alumni Association.
John Momoh
Momoh was selected from three other candidates and is himself a former student at Unilag.
According to Nigerian national newspaper ThisDay, a press statement was issued by the association, stating the results of the elections held at its recent annual general meeting.
Each member of the association ruling committee is expected to bring about innovations, thereby moving the association to ‘greater heights’. In lieu of this, Momoh is said to have provided a 10-point agenda for the association.
Meanwhile, before the announcement of Momoh’s new appointment, a report was published last week stating that Abdulateef Abdulsalam, a member of the association, had filed a suit to prevent the election.
He allegedly stated that some members of the association had planned to elect a new president undemocratically through “an illegal body known as body of past presidents, a search team and an unregistered 2015 constitution”.
The court adjourned the case to September 17 and ordered the suspension of any electoral activities by the committee.
However, since the recent announcement of the election results, no comment has been made by the claimant nor was any made by the Alumni Association addressing the allegations.
Channels Media Group chairman John Momoh is to be honoured by the Euro-Knowledge forum at the House of Lords in London later this month.
John Momoh
Momoh will receive an award that acknowledges and celebrates exemplary leaders who have made tremendous impact in their fields and have become role models, innovators or inspirational leaders.
The April 29 event is organised by Euro-Knowledge – an international consultancy and advisor to many leading businesses, as well as governments around the world – and will be attended by policymakers, captains of industry and business magnates.
Euro-Knowledge said in a statement: “The ceremony will begin with a tour of the House of Lords, then a forum on trade, investment and governance, to be followed by a networking reception that will usher the participants to dinner with entertainment during the presentation of the awards.”
Other honourees include OPEC secretary-general Mohammad Barkindo, Aiteo founder Benedict Peters, former trade and investment minister Onikepo Akande, Africa Prudential chair Eniola Fadayomi, and brand strategist and public speaker Afolabi Andu.
Political party the African Action Congress (AAC) has threatened to sue the chairman of Channels Television John Momoh, the Broadcast Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG).
John Momoh
AAC has written a letter warning it will go to court if its presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, is not included on the list of those set to participate in a presidential debate.
It claimed that his exclusion went against the rights of all political parties to fair representation as set out in section 100 of the electoral act.
Five candidates had already been chosen as revealed by NEDG, organiser of the debate in collaboration with BON.
The letter read: “From the foregoing, it is apparent that the decision to exclude the AAC from the NEDG/BON 2019 presidential election debate is unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary, undemocratic, unjustifiable and indefensible.
“Accordingly, I hereby demand the inclusion of the AAC in the scheduled NEDG/BON 2019 presidential election debate.
“Please take notice that if the AAC is not included in the said debate as demanded, we shall commence legal action against you, the BON and the NEDG in a court of competent jurisdiction to seek redress, including an order of injunction restraining you, BON and the NEDG from holding or organising the scheduled debate.”
Nigeria’s minister of information and culture has appealed to UNESCO for assistance in growing the country’s media industry.
Lai Mohammed
Lai Mohammed made the request during a meeting with UNESCO delegate Mariam Katagum last week, explaining that media in Nigeria has evolved and people no longer rely on traditional media for news or entertainment.
“There is no gain saying that Nigeria rules Africa when it comes to entertainment and, again, we want the assistance of UNESCO in developing more, especially in the area of content,” he said.
“We have so much content and so many stories to tell the world but we need to assist the creative industry in training the filmmakers to improve on their capacity, technically, so that they can tell their stories on a better platform.”
Noting that social media had become a platform for the dissemination of so-called ‘fake news,’ Mohammed said more needed to be done to tackle the spread of misinformation online.
“With the telephone, everyone has become a journalist, opinion-moulder and information disseminator. The outcome is fake news and misinformation, and the government is more on the receiving end. We, therefore, appeal to UNESCO to review its mode of operation and assist in addressing the issue of fake news through social media,’’ Mohammed said.
Social media and the advent of fake news has been on the minds of many professionals in the media industry recently. During a conference held this week, John Momoh, chairman of Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria and CEO of Channels TV, also addressed the issue.
Speaking at the Social Media Week event, held in Lagos, Momoh said the industry needed well-trained young broadcasters who can use artificial intelligence to increase content quality. “Artificial intelligence is to improve our work and not to add to the problem of unemployment,” he added.
According to Momoh, the spread of fake news can be stopped by relying on trustworthy media outlets. He also said broadcasting companies should play their part by evolving with the times and becoming available on the preferred platforms of their consumers.
“The biggest disruption to the media landscape is that, now, you have to go after the consumers to ensure they get what they want. We have to cast our content on all mobile devices. Because the world is changing, you cannot do things the same way,” he said.
The lawsuit filed last month against Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the CEO of Channels TV John Momoh has been dropped.
John Momoh
The move was announced by Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), who had initially filed the suit on December 19.
The AAC brought the case after Sowore was excluded from the vice-presidential debate held on December 14. However, due to the inability of the court to serve him hearing notice, Sowore withdrew the action.
Through his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, Sowore appealed that his name should not be removed from the January 19 presidential debate. This was granted by Justice Danlami Senchi, who also removed Momoh’s name from the suit.
Terrestial televison audiences in Nigeria will be able to view the Fifa 2018 World Cup live after the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) reached an agreement with free-to-air network Kwesé Sports.
John Momoh
The deal will see Kwesé Sports air 32 live matches of the World Cup, being held in Russia this summer, on terrestrial TV.
John Momoh, BON’s chairman, said: “We are focused on providing the best services to our audience and clients. And by combining the wide and national coverage of our members with Kwesé’s offering, we can ensure that all Nigerians have the opportunity to watch the matches and cheer our great Super Eagles to victory during the World Cup when watching free-to-air TV, regardless of wherever or not you are in Nigeria.”
Zakary Wasara, CEO of Kwesé Sports Nigeria, said: “What is really important for us is to make sure that all Nigerians are able to have access to the World Cup.”
Kwesé Sports also recently signed an agreement with Aim Group, parent company of radio stations Nigeria Info, Cool Fm, Wazobia Fm and Arewa Radio, ensuring that 32 of the 64 matches are aired live on radio.
Kwesé Sports is the official broadcaster of the 2018 World Cup, which starts on June 14 and ends on July 15.
The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) has assured the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) of its support for digital switchover (DSO) plans, reports Gabriella Opara.
John Momoh
During a DSO stakeholders’ meeting held last Thursday in Uyo in Akwa Ibom state, BON chairman John Momoh pledged his support to the NBC over its plans to ensure DSO nationwide.
“We are witnessing an era in which the broadcast industry is presenting great opportunities and at the same time facing some threats. Opportunities in the sense that the whole of broadcasting is changing from content platforms like Apple to OTT services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime through to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter,” Momoh said.
“And so many companies are eager to get great content. This is where we, as broadcasters, need the support of the NBC – to ensure that it lays the groundwork for future success. The best way for us to invent the future is to put in place the best possible architecture and give the industry the freedom to thrive,” Momoh added.
At the meeting, NBC director general Is’haq Modibbo Kawu also pledged that all hands will be on deck to ensure the smooth sailing of DSO in 2018.
In a statement upon the launch, Nigeria minister for information and culture Lai Mohammed promised more DSO would take place within a few weeks across the states. He also said DSO would generate N100bn annually through the FreeTV distribution network, which has more than 200 channels.
Nigeria’s vice president Yemi Osinbajo has spoken about the challenges faced by the country’s media at a forum marking the 50th birthday of top journalist Kadaria Ahmed.
Yemi Osinbajo, vice president of Nigeria
Speaking at the forum, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Victoria Island in Lagos, keynote speaker Osinbajo addressed the audience on the topic ‘A Conversation on Media Renewal in Nigeria.’
Commending the Nigerian media for contributing to the movement and development of the nation since colonial days, Osinbajo said: “The democracy we enjoy today would not have been possible without the guerrilla efforts of some of our finest and most irrepressible journalists.
“The Nigerian press is and has always been one of the most vibrant in the world. You can always take it for granted that no matter the intensity of the clampdown on press freedom in Nigeria, there will always be a prominent group of journalists who will refuse to be cowed, and will seize every tool at their disposal to hold the authorities to account.”
He then went on to note the challenges and drawbacks in the media industry that journalist face, highlighting the lack of innovation and vision as well as poor financial provision.
Osinbajo noted that the media’s response to technological advancements and innovations has been slow and it must do well to reinvent itself to overcome declining sales.
He added that the media is not spared from the corruption affecting the nation, saying: “The Nigerian contemporary press is caught up in a crisis of confidence. The faith in the media is at all-time low because faith in all things in the country is at all-time low.
“The crisis of corruption is systemic and every institution is infected. Justice can be bought so headlines can also be bought. Wherever you find a judiciary that is poorly paid, you will find a judiciary that is compromised. The same applies to the media – a poorly paid journalist should not be expected to be ethical.”
After his speech, the VP joined other dignitaries, including Hajiya Hadiza El-rufai, Dr Wale Babalakin and John Momoh, to present Kadaria Ahmed’s scholarships and book.
With over 20 years of experience in media, award-winning Kadaria Ahmed is one of Nigeria’s top journalists. She started her career at BBC before moving on to become an editor of the now defunct Next newspaper. She was also a presenter of Straight Talk on Channels Television.
She is currently one of the board members of Premium Times and also hosts The Core on Channels Television.
