Digital Broadcasting Deadline: Media Manager Urges More Awareness

As the January 1, 2015
deadline for migration from the analogue to digital system in the broadcasting industry draws nearer, the Federal Government has been called to create more awareness about the situation.
The General Manager of Avid Media Consultant, Mr Tunde Uchegbuo, made the appeal while speaking with The Tide  in Port Harcourt Wednesday.
He believed  that the federal government has not done much in creating awareness about the date, arguing that the deadline may not hold.
Uchegbuo, said if the date must hold, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) led by its Director-General, Mr Emeka Mba, must rise up to the occasion and take the message round the country.
He said other sister organisations like the Nigerian Communications Commissions  (NCC), ought to work in the same direction and get Nigerians sensitized about the digital broadcasting plans.
According to him, huge number of Nigerians are still ignorant of the development, adding that the very players of the industry that are committed to the course have not been that active. He argued that since most terrestrial Television stations in the country may be faced with financial challenges before achieving a sound digital system, it would be proper to also engage them in the crusade. The media manager, wondered how the contents/ channels would be distributed, considering the complex nature of what he tagged as exclusivity.
He also suggested 2018 as the new date in order to enable all players in the industry to adjust properly.
The Tide gathered that the digital broadcasting system would allow upto 100 TV channels to even rural TV viewers.
It was also leant that the Federal Government had sometime ago, altered the deadline which was to be effective in June 2012.

L-R: Citizenship and Partners in Learning Microsoft Manager , Ugochukwu Nwosu, Project Delivery Head, ICT-STP Education Services Ltd, Mr Pradeep Joshi, STP Education Services Ltd official, Mr Gautham More, Special Adviser to Rivers State Governor on ICT,Engr. Goodliffe Nmekini and Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Environmental Health, Dr. Ogu Emejuru, during official launcing of Badiliko Digital Hubs by Rivers State Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department, in partnership with British Council and Microsoft Corporation at Rivers State ICT Centre in Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson