Broadcast Rights: Stakeholders Want BON To Be Firm

Some broadcast industry stakeholders have urged the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) to stand firm in its face-off with LC2 over the broadcast rights for the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, the stakeholders commended BON for its present stance and called for proactive measures to prevent a recurrence.

BON said in Abuja that its meeting with LC2 on the 2013 AFCON broadcast rights could not resolve the issue.

This was after they failed to agree on the price for the rights, five days to the competition’s kick-off date.

A Deputy Director in the FRCN, Emeka Odikpo,said the radio station was in support of calling the bluff of the rights marketers.

“FRCN aligns itself with this on-going process of saying ‘no’ to what can be regarded as rubbish,’’ he said.

The sports commentator said the country should use this ongoing impasse to impress on CAF to urgently do something about the exorbitant nature of its broadcast rights for its programmes.

“This mindset of the rights marketers that money is there in Nigeria for them to just walk in and pick up under the guise of marketing broadcast rights should not be.

“Right now there is a reasonable offer on ground from BON to LC2, and they should just realise that they would be losing out in the long run if they refuse to yield ground,’’ he said.

DAAR Communications’ Executive Director, Tony Akiotu, said the company was also much in agreement with BON.

“We agree with BON and believe it is time we should stop this regular act of events marketers ripping us off.

“In the last one decade, most of us in the industry had not made any profit from broadcasting the AFCON, but because of our love for the industry and the game in our country, we have kept at it.

“But LC2’s price is too much, and we are not in support of anything that will not benefit Nigerian football and the industry. Nobody should take us for a ride.