In a critical development, the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, (BoN), has declared a ‘state of emergency’ in the broadcast media sector, urgently appealing to President Bola Tinubu for a stimulus package intervention.
The call was made during the 79th General Assembly of BoN, chaired by Senior High Chief Tony Akiotu at HomeVille PLUS Hotel in Benin, Edo State, on Wednesday, July 17th.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the BoN said, “The dire economic climate, coupled with escalating costs of power tariffs, diesel and petrol has left many Nigerian TV and radio stations on the brink of collapse. To avert a total shutdown, BON is requesting the government’s support to transition to CNG-powered generators and energy-saving radio transmitters.
“We are facing a situation whereby most Nigerian radio and TV stations might shut down, leaving Nigerians reliant on social media for information, with potentially damaging consequences for our nation”, warned Chief Akiotu, during the press conference.
Additionally, BON appealed to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to suspend the 2.5% levy on the gross revenue of stations due to the challenging economic conditions. The organisation argued that the suspension is crucial in order to provide financial relief to struggling broadcast media houses.
In another critical issue, BON members are calling for a ministerial ban on Arewa24 TV and other foreign TV channels that are allegedly airing local advertisements without proper licensing from NBC and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
Local station owners have threatened legal action if these unlicensed activities are not curbed, as they significantly impact the revenue of licensed Nigerian stations.
Chief Akiotu emphasized the need for collaboration among industry stakeholders and regulators to address key challenges, including regulatory frameworks, digital transformation, advertising, audience engagement, training, and sustainability.
The BON communiqué underscored the urgency of these interventions to ensure the survival and continued operation of Nigerian broadcast media, which is vital for the dissemination of information to the public.
The broadcast media prayed for swift action to prevent a media blackout in Nigeria.
VoiceofLiberty / Arafat Ayofe
