Tag Archives: Nigeria Television Authority

Media agencies ‘face financial constraints’

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Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s minister for information and national orientation, has admitted that government-owned media organisations are being hit by a lack of funds.

Lai Mohammed

Mohammed was speaking during a session of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation attended by media organisations at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

Broadcast organisations at the event included the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission.

“We know what to do to run FRCN and NTA profitably but we have an obligation to provide social services and create employment for Nigerian youth,” he said. “We want to make money but we are constrained.”

Ibrahim Mammaga, director of the News Agency of Nigeria, which used to be 100% financed by the government but no longer receives funds, said his agency remits 25% of the money it generates to the government.

“Our responsibility is to educate, just like FRCN and NTA. We operate in all the states of the federation with 28 district offices,” he said. “Until recently, when we established the multimedia unit, we didn’t generate revenue. What we generate from our subscribers is too small to the extent that it will not finance 1% of our operations.

“We have equipment in all the states of the federation, but the equipment is not working. If not for our laptops and smartphones, we would be in a difficult situation.”

Mammaga noted that even though the agency provided content to its subscribers, little in the way of earnings was generated. He added that it earned only N130m in 2017, which was not even enough to cover its electricity bills.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and public Affairs, Adedayo Adedeye, urged the government to manage information in the social media era and also advised the agencies to generate more revenue to run the stations as well as contribute to the government.

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Free set-top boxes in Enugu

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Ten thousand Enugu residents will receive free set-top boxes as part of the digital switchover (DSO) in the state.

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

The giveaway was revealed by state governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during a meeting held to mark the launch of the DSO in Enugu at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) headquarters in the state.

Ugwuanyi expressed his delight at the transition and said the boxes would be given to low-income families.

“As a state, we are fully conscious of possible discomfort that economically challenged families will face when they experience disruption in accessing free-to-air television,” he said. “This, in our judgement, is the major reason the federal government has committed to produce and subsidise 10 million set-top boxes for distribution to poor households in Nigeria.

“We are keen to encourage the federal government to make good this promise so that this unique service will be available to most Nigerians, especially the rural poor.”

Also present at the launch meeting were Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, and NBC director general Mallam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu. Mohammed urged Nigerians to support the ongoing revolution in the broadcast industry.

Enugu is the first state in Nigeria’s southern region to undergo the DSO. The switchovers in Enugu and Osun were announced by Modibbo Kawu at a DSO forum in January, when it was also revealed that Delta and Gombe would experience the transition before the first quarter of the year ends.

So far, the DSO has reached five states: Abuja, Jos, Kwara, Kaduna and Enugu. NBC plans to carry out the switch in 12 more states before 2018 ends.

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StarTimes to broadcast in Maiduguri

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StarTimes TV, one of Nigeria’s leading pay TV companies, has announced it will begin broadcasting in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, reports Gabriella Opara.

Qasim Elegbede

The move comes after the firm pledged to deliver affordable and quality entertainment to every home in Nigeria.

Qasim Elegbede, StarTimes’ brand and marketing director, said the company’s latest location marks a significant milestone for the growth of its business, adding: “Maiduguri is an important market for us as we expand our offering across the globe.”

Users in Maiduguri can now purchase a StarTimes decoder for N7900, with one month’s subscription being offered for free. The package includes more than 100 channels that cover sports, news, entertainment and kids’ programmes.

In partnership with the Nigeria Television Authority, Chinese media company Star Communications introduced StarTimes TV to the Nigerian market seven years ago. The service is now available in 60 cities.

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