National Broadcasting Commission has said that it plans to spend a whooping sum of N68billion to finance the digital switch over (DOS), as the commission is in advance preparation to transit to analogue television transmission before the end of the second quarter of 2014.
With the limited nature of the television digitalisation in Nigeria despite its inception in 2008, the need for deep penetration and expansion which is vital for development of the Nigerian market is yet to be actualised. “There are concrete collaborations with key industry stakeholders who are determined to making sure that the digital switch over (DSO) becomes a huge success and Jos has been selected as the switch over city test”, Emeka Mba, director general, NBC, told newsmen.
The NBC DG said the thrust behind the selection of Jos as the switch over test city was due to the fact that Jos has the best complements and factors necessary to determining the success of the digital switch over (DSO). “With economic activities booming ceaselessly in Jos coupled with the existence of the large number of broadcast institutions. The city would be an effective road map to ascertain basic things which will be vital for other cities, he said.
He further explained that the commission is working assiduously with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Environmental Protection Agency, National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Digiteam and other industry key players to consolidate the digital switch over project.
He however, stressed that all the existing analogue transmission stations will have to be converted to digitalised television terrestrial services as much as the existing broadcasting stations meet up with the requirements to be encapsulated in the new Act.
“We are still working on the new laws which are yet to be encapsulated; and the existing broadcast institutions are not expected to get another license when they become digitalised. But when the criteria and requirements are put in place all the broadcast institutions will be obliged to meet the conditions before they get certified as a digitalised transmission stations”, he said.
He also used the medium to call the attention of all the existing broadcast institutions who are indebted to the commission to pay up their dues. He lamented the attitude portrayed by some broadcast institutions who have failed to pay up their license fees till date.
“These fees are very important to the present project of digital switch over; the primary paying up license should be a prerequisite to establishing any broadcast institution. All the debtors as regards to this stands to get their licenses withdrawn”, he said.
By: Ben Uzor Jr & Justice Godfrey Okamgba
