Stakeholders worry over stringent regulations, unethical conduct in broadcasting industry

By Muhammad Muhammad

Stakeholders in the media industry have raised concern over high cost of operational charges and stringent regulations set by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Solacebase reports that the media professionals both in field of practice and academic as well as the veterans decried what they considered as professional misconduct, poor capacity among other challenges bedeviling broadcasting industry in Kano and Jigawa states.

The stakeholders mainly indigenes of Kano and Jigawa states made the submission at the weekend at experience sharing colloquium on “Investment and Growth Potentials in the Media Industry “, organized by Kano/Jigawa Professionals Forum in collaboration with Dangote Business School, Bayero University, Kano.

A veteran broadcaster, former Director General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Alh. Muhammed Ibrahim faulted the high cost of operational license charged by NBC.

Alh. Muhammad, who presently holds the traditional title of Makama Ringim, Jigawa state, believed the cost of securing radio or license is outrageous considering the economic reality of Northern Nigeria.

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The ice broadcaster insisted that the regulator may have defeated the essence of broadcasting industry which is primarily aimed at widening spectrum of audience just as he urged the NBC to look at the means of reducing the additional burden on owners.

On his part, the Chairman of Broadcasting Organization of Nigerian (BON), Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim also worried on the cost implication of the much celebrated digital switch over, adding that multiple charges especially on content aggregation, signal distribution and others mandatory cost mounted by NBC might be difficult to sustain.

Hajia Sa’a who is the director general, Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), argued that several broadcast stations especially in the Northern might find it difficult to join the digital migration because of the dwindling economy coupled with drastic decline in revenue from advertisers.

On his part, another media manager, Adamu Ladan who equally tolled the line argument of earlier speakers wondered why NBC is fast assuming revenue generating agency status instead of regulating the industry.

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Ladan urged the NBC to rather check the prevailing professional misconduct across several broadcast media in Kano and Jigawa states.

Reacting to concerns raised, the immediate past acting Director General of NBC, Professor Armstrong Idachaba explained that NBC will not compromise professional standard adding that the regulator will continued to strengthening its enforcement operation.

Professor Idachaba reminded that despite the social and developmental responsibility of broadcasting industry, the area of revenue generation would not be overlooked. He however urged the stakeholders to move for possible amendment of the laws through the national assembly to address their concern.

Chairman of Kano/Jigawa Professional forum and former minister of Budget, Shamsuddeen Usman said the colloquium tents to address challenge and opportunities abound in Kano/Jigawa media industry.

He said the forum was established to encourage and nurture professionalism and provide support for the sustenance of socio-economic development in the two states.