Modibo Ishaq Kawu, the Director-General Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has revealed that the invention of digital switch over will assist in entrenching growth of the economy and create job opportunities for 300 thousand youths in Nigeria.
According to Kawu, the Federal Government’s idea on digital broadcasting is to ensure a new style of communication and free TV, improve international influence and as well entrench national digital economy. He stressed that, “NBC is committed to engendering national peace and unity through broadcasting.”
Kawu made the disclosure while giving a speech on ‘Digitization of Broadcast: The Place of Nigeria,’ at the Media Parliament organised by Kwara State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ.
“We have spent about 26 million American Dollars on the project and NBC plans to carry out a digital mapping of the country in January, 2018.”
Digital revolution he said, will offer several opportunities to manufacturers, industrialists, advertisers, and the rest, as it will pave way and encourage people to specialise in producing programs because 70 percent of the content will be local and general issues will be treated separately.
He added that each channel will strictly transmit specialized programs such as health, education, agriculture and others.
Kawu, however said the agency in collaboration with the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), have engaged the services of foreign firms to carry out the exercise, just as he disclosed
that four more states would be switched over in January.
Nigeria according to him is doing well in its digital switch over process among other countries in the African continent and that the DSO would strengthen the nation’s democracy and free press in the country.
In his welcome address, Biodun Abdulkareem, the State Chairman of NUJ, said that the Media Parliament aimed at providing platform for journalists to interact with relevant stakeholders within and outside the state on the way forward.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
