The delay by the Federal Government to give approval to the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to grant operational licences to applicants to own community radios has been attributed to security concerns over the vulnerability of such sensitive communication infrastructure to national stability and development.

Speaking during the official launch of GOtv services, with a unique pay television infrastructure in Port Harcourt, last Saturday, Director-General, NBC, Engineer Yomi Bolarinwa, explained that the government was favourably disposed toward granting licences to as many community radio stations as possible, but was delaying the process because it needed more time to ensure that the security implications of leaving a sensitive medium of mass communication and social mobilization as radio to rural community folks were properly understood.

While foreclosing the possibility that individuals may acquire the licences to further their selfish desires, Bolarinwa stressed that when NBC gets Federal Government’s go-ahead, communities that have shown commitment to own, fund and manage the stations would be encouraged to do so as a veritable means of strengthening and fast tracking the conversation and enhancing development at the grassroots.

Represented by Director, Broadcast Policy and Research, Tom Aliu Chatta, the director-general said NBC would support government’s effort to encourage broader platform for winning the souls and minds of the hard-to-reach deprived population through community radios, and commended management of GOtv for broadening the horizon in digital television transmission.

He expressed excitement at fact that GOtv would help bridge the yawning gap between the rich and the poor segments of society by availing affordable, accessible and cheap digital terrestrial television programming in Rivers State.

In his speech, General Manager, GOtv, Mayo Okunola, noted that the launch represents one of the most advanced digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcast system and infrastructure established in Africa and the rest of the world to date, and leapfrogs the digital migration from the outdated T1 systems which were utilized by earlier movers in the industry, adding that this step puts Nigeria at the forefront of cutting-edge technology in the digital migration process.

He said GOtv was the only pay television service provider in the country that uses the DVB T2 technology which is the most advanced technology standard available in the market worldwide, stressing that subscribers will save themselves the time and expense of migrating twice once some of the older T1 technology decoders in the market are eventually phased out.

According to Okunola, “the GOtv brand is specially created to make available an affordable digital television product for all, offering great family entertainment at flexible and affordable prices. Nigerians are now set to benefit from easy access to an increased number of channels with enhanced picture and sound quality synonymous with digital television.”

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana